India-Pakistan: July 5, 2004

Archives

In Pakistan, members of the Kurmazkhel and Kakakhel clans of the Ahmadzai Wazir, along the Afghan border, have been pressed by hundreds of armed volunteers, to surrender several foreigners who have taken refuge with them. The government has forced the issue by blocking truck traffic to many tribal areas in North and South Waziristan, which has caused shortages and gotten the attention of the tribes. The army has lifted the blockade for ten days to avoid food shortages, and to reward the tribes for going after the armed foreigners (thought to be al Qaeda) living in their midst. The roadblocks have proved to be an effective tactic, because the tribes have become dependant on the truck traffic for consumer goods, as well as staples. You can move only a fraction of that traffic cross country, so the control of the roads provides more control over the tribes than was the case in the past when the tribes were more self-sufficient.  

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close