Anti-drone protesters have cut off shipments through Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwah (KP) Province into neighboring Afghanistan in retaliation for US drone strikes, but are now facing threats of another kind.
Oil tanker companies, which have been unable to use the KP route into Afghanistan, are now threatening to “cut off” KP’s shipments if the demonstrations against the drones don’t end within 72 hours.
The KP’s ruling party, Pakistani Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) has organized the protests against the drone strikes, but has yet to respond to the threat of an oil shutdown.
A “cut off” could be devastating for major cities like Peshawar, but could also inflame resentments against the drone strikes and fuel speculation that the US is trying to punish them for their opposition.
Are we getting closer to a "Mohamed Bouazizi" moment in Pakistan and, perhaps, Afghanistan?
Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation on 17 December 2010 led to demonstrations and revolt causing the ousting of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 28 days later and the start of the Arab Spring.