The tribal areas of Pakistan, inhabited mostly by ethnic Pakhtuns, have an abiding interest in the well being of their kin living on the other side in Afghanistan. The massacres at the hands of NATO forces are a matter of great concern to them. Historically, the Pakhtuns of Afghanistan have never reconciled with the occupation of their lands and given enormous sacrifices for the sake of their freedom. They have faced mighty powers like Great Britain and Soviet Union and defeated them a number of times. Occupying their territory will not be an easy proposition for NATO. Pakhtuns will die but will never surrender. Americans have not taken into account the psyche of the Afghan people before launching the invasion. It is nave to expect that the Pakhtuns on our side of the border will keep quiet at the ruthless bombing by NATO forces in which more than a million Afghans have perished including innocent women and children. To remain a silent spectator in a tragedy like this is not in the blood of the Pakhtuns. The problems of the tribal area are the spillover effect of the problem in Afghanistan. The insurgency in Afghanistan cannot be controlled unless the Afghan people are given the freedom and dignity they deserve. -YASIR ALI KHAN, Attock, via e-mail, July 5.