A disastrous policy

The recent series of bomb attacks in Karachi are yet another proof of the extremely high cost of the war on terror which the Pakistani government is fighting at the behest of America.
Eight years ago, not many amongst the Pakistani masses were aware that this war would one day bring catastrophe to their doorsteps. At that time, many saw the war as an Afghan problem, although they disapproved of it even at that time. The policy makers, on the other hand exactly knew what was in store for Pakistan. Anyone having a fair idea of the geo-politics of the region knows that the Durand Line is more of a provincial division rather than an international border.
An attack on Helmand, Khost, Kandhar, Paktika, Nangahar and Konar would be considered an attack on NWFP and Balochistan by the tribal Pakhtuns. However, the policymakers chose to ignore this fact conjuring up the most unrealistic policy ever. The policy of ‘Pakistan First’, of unnaturally dividing the Pakhtuns along the lines drawn by the colonial British empire, proved to be disastrous. Pakistan must accept that the war on terror was waged against itself, as much as it was waged against the Afghan Muslims. What the Americans want Pakistan to do is to continue this war for many decades to come and Pakistan is expected to bomb, kill and arrest its own citizens or let them be bombed, killed or arrested by NATO. -MOEZ MOBEEN, Islamabad, via e-mail, July 8.