Imran fears suicide attacks if NATO supply resumes

Islamabad, April 14 (IANS) Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan Saturday said he feared suicide attacks across the country following the reopening of the NATO supply routes to Afghanistan through Pakistani territory.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson said that if, as a response to the reopening of the NATO routes, there was any suicide attack in the country, the common people would have to bear the cost, Dawn News reported.

The routes were closed after a NATO air strike at a Pakistan Army border post in November last year killed 24 soldiers.

Imran's remarks came after the parliament reached a consensus not to allow arms to be supplied via Pakistan to Afghanistan, but gave a green signal for resumption of non-lethal supplies like food and medicine.

"How will this resolution benefit the people of Pakistan as over 40,000 Pakistanis have died in the US-led war on terror, while the country (Pakistan) incurred a loss of $50 billion during the last four years," Imran was quoted as saying by the Daily Times.

"The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not accept restoration of NATO supply routes. It is not simply a matter of money. It is a matter of extricating Pakistan from this war which is not Pakistan's war at all and which has aggravated terrorism in Pakistan," he said.