Throughout September US imperialist forces have been increasing their attacks in the north west frontier regions of Pakistan. The US claims that the Pakistan army is not doing sufficient to deny Afghan Taliban fighters a safe haven in Pakistan.The US military have been attacking villages across the border in Pakistan, claiming they are Taliban bases. So brazen have these violations of the country’s sovereignty become that Pakistani troops fired at US military helicopters forcing them to turn back to Afghanistan
Even during a visit to foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, aimed at calming the situation, an unmanned drone fired missiles into a village causing significant loss of life. There is widespread and growing anger in the country over the strikes in which many civilians have been killed. The so-called war on terror is quite simply war on some of the poorest people of the world.General Ashfaq Kayani, the chief of Pakistan’s army says he will not allow foreign troops on the country’s soil and will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any interventions from the US. But on the other hand he say that the war on terror is our war too and we the Pakistani army are fighting against the Taliban. He says in effect to the US,Yet for all their protests against the US, the Pakistan army has increased its own attacks in the North west, killing hundreds and displacing nearly one million people.The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, (MQM and all the major political parties are supporting the war on terror. If there are any differences it is solely over how fight this war. In this situation the effects of the war is spreading to the other parts of Pakistan, bringing with it the ethnic, religious and regional divisions of Afghanistan and Iraq.The attitude of the Pakistan People’s Party government and newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari is to do all in its power to help US imperialism in struggle in Afghanistan. However its relations with the military are still uncertain and the latter does not trust Zardari and the PP with making the policy for the war, they both agree is necessary. To the US Zardari and Co are in effect saying, “please do not involve us too openly with your attacks. We are doing your job for you with complete obedience. Trust us, we will do the job for you.”
To the people the PPP prime minister is saying we are not in position to defy the US. We will negotiate with them to resolve this issue.
The media is giving it approval to this and all the political parties are saying that we have to take this position; the war on terror is our war, etc. The role of Pakistan Muslim League (N), the party of Narwaz Sharif, as an opposition is just a joke. But all of them conveniently forget the role of the army is playing in bombing the tribal areas and supporting the US operations in Afghanistan, even if the US is not satisfied with this.Only the withdrawal of US forces from the entire region can resolve the present down ward spiral into war and economic chaos. Whilst billions are being expended on this war, Pakistan’s economy is in free fall, with inflation is running at over 26 per cent, factories are closing, there are constant electricity cuts.We demand all those who were active in the lawyers’ movement for the restoration of democratic rights, the workers movement and the left to combine to protest against the US interventions, but also against the Pakistan military’s own operations of in the border areas.
We demand that the US and Nato forces get out now from Afghanistan, Iraq and stop the attack in the North West frontier provinces of Pakistan
We call the soldiers of the US and Nato forces not to fight for the interest of their ruling class. This is not “the good war” as their media call it in contrast to Iraq. It is just the same dirty imperialist intervention in the interests of exploiting the world.
We call on the working class around the globe and anti war movement to protest powerfully against the US military attacks on the north west of Pakistan. In the name of fighting the Taliban. they are actually attacking the ordinary people of the region.