An American U.N. official has been kidnapped in Pakistan. I’m not sure whether I should be surprised or shocked because I’m not, not in the least. The victim this time is John Solecki, the head of the U.N High Commissioner for Refugees Office in Quetta. This comes right after Pakistan’s stance on terrorism is being contested by countries worldwide. The world witnessed the Mumbai attacks, which is being traced back to Pakistan. Even Obama says that Pakistan should improve its position on terrorism, in order to continue receiving aid from the U.S. This particular kidnapping is symbolic because it shows that Pakistan is still not ready or capable for humanitarian agencies to function safely.
A CNN article quoted a U.N. official. “We strongly condemn this attack on humanitarian workers in Pakistan who have been doing their utmost to deliver their humanitarian mission.” Hopefully, the Pakistani government comes through and is able to rescue Solecki. More importantly, will the government be able to curtail terrorist attacks? That is an important question.
