Nato supplies to be blocked after Nov 20, Imran tells NA

ISLAMABAD: Taking part in the National Assembly’s debate over emerging situation in the aftermath of Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud’s killing, Imran Khan Monday threatened to cut the Nato supply lines in KP after November 20 upon assessing the government’s reaction on the issue.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Mehsud, along with at least four other militants, was killed when a US drone targeted his car in the North Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan near the Afghan border on Friday evening.

The session of the lower house of Parliament, which commenced after a delay of two-and-a-half hour, was reserved for the debate, setting aside the routine agenda items.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s party rules the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, one of the two routes the Nato supplies move in and out of Afghanistan.

He warned the US to stop bombing Pakistani land through its unmanned planes’ campaign and vowed to block the Nato supplies after Nov 20, “if government fail to pursue America to end drone strikes.”

The cricket legend-turned politician, who is a strong opponent of US drone strikes in tribal areas of Pakistan, urged political leaders to unite on the matter. He said the drone attack before initiation of peace talks was a proof that the US did not want peace in the country.

Despite all political differences, Khan said he was ready to reconcile with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan updated the house members of the government’s efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban militants and hurdles being created in doing so.

He again termed the US drone attack, that killed the TTP leader on Friday, “a conspiracy to derail peace process.”

The minister, however, vowed to continue with efforts for holding peace talks with Taliban. “This would only be possible after the militant outfit chooses a new chief,” he added.

Meanwhile, the meeting of Cabinet Committee on National Security (CCNS) is also underway to review overall situation in the wake of Hakimullah Mehsud’s killing. The interior minister on Saturday said that bilateral cooperation and ties with the US will be reviewed in the meeting.