Pakistan gives a green light to NATO trucks
Source: Agencies |
July 5, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TRUCKS carrying NATO supplies will resume their routes through Pakistan to Afghanistan today, following Islamabad's agreement to end its seven-month blockade, security officials said.
Implementation of the supply line agreement should help patch up the US-Pakistan relationship, which is crucial for American efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, but the two continue to have serious differences.
US officials had expected the trucks to begin crossing into Afghanistan yesterday, but bureaucratic delays held that up.
Pakistan agreed to reopen the supply line on Tuesday after the US said it was sorry for American airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November. The attack prompted Pakistan to close the route.
Yesterday, Pakistan's Cabinet endorsed the decision to reopen the route, which was made by senior civilian and military officials.
Pakistan's plan calls for four trucks to enter Afghanistan through the Chaman crossing in southwestern Baluchistan province, according to a Pakistani security document obtained by The Associated Press. Chaman is one of two crossings used to ship NATO supplies to Afghanistan.
One hundred trucks were also set to begin traveling from the southern port city of Karachi to Chaman and Torkham, the site of the other crossing in the northwest Khyber tribal area, according to the document.
Two trucks were cleared by customs and security officials at the Chaman crossing, but the border station closed at sunset before they were able to cross, said security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
The trucks are expected to cross at 9am today when the border reopens, they said.
Two other trucks were still awaiting clearance in Chaman, said the officials.
Drivers in Karachi were also still waiting for approval to head toward the border, said Israr Khan Shinwari, an official with the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association.
The reopening could save the US hundreds of millions of dollars, since Pakistan's blockade forced Washington to rely heavily on a longer, costlier route that leads into Afghanistan through Central Asia.
Pakistan is also expected to gain financially, since the US intends to free up US$1.1 billion in military aid that has been frozen for the past year.
The deal carries risks for both governments.
Pakistan is likely to face a domestic backlash, given rampant anti-American sentiment in the country and the government's failure to force the US to stop drone attacks targeting militants and accede to other demands made by parliament.
The Pakistani Taliban vowed to attack trucks carrying NATO supplies once they start moving, calling the government a slave to the US.
Anger at Pakistan is high in Washington because of the country's alleged support for militants fighting US troops in Afghanistan.
US President Barack Obama risks exposing himself to criticism from Republicans, including presidential challenger Mitt Romney. He contends the administration is too quick to apologize in foreign policy matters.
This political risk and the underlying anger led the US to hold off apologizing to Pakistan for months, despite repeated demands from Islamabad.
Implementation of the supply line agreement should help patch up the US-Pakistan relationship, which is crucial for American efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, but the two continue to have serious differences.
US officials had expected the trucks to begin crossing into Afghanistan yesterday, but bureaucratic delays held that up.
Pakistan agreed to reopen the supply line on Tuesday after the US said it was sorry for American airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November. The attack prompted Pakistan to close the route.
Yesterday, Pakistan's Cabinet endorsed the decision to reopen the route, which was made by senior civilian and military officials.
Pakistan's plan calls for four trucks to enter Afghanistan through the Chaman crossing in southwestern Baluchistan province, according to a Pakistani security document obtained by The Associated Press. Chaman is one of two crossings used to ship NATO supplies to Afghanistan.
One hundred trucks were also set to begin traveling from the southern port city of Karachi to Chaman and Torkham, the site of the other crossing in the northwest Khyber tribal area, according to the document.
Two trucks were cleared by customs and security officials at the Chaman crossing, but the border station closed at sunset before they were able to cross, said security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
The trucks are expected to cross at 9am today when the border reopens, they said.
Two other trucks were still awaiting clearance in Chaman, said the officials.
Drivers in Karachi were also still waiting for approval to head toward the border, said Israr Khan Shinwari, an official with the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association.
The reopening could save the US hundreds of millions of dollars, since Pakistan's blockade forced Washington to rely heavily on a longer, costlier route that leads into Afghanistan through Central Asia.
Pakistan is also expected to gain financially, since the US intends to free up US$1.1 billion in military aid that has been frozen for the past year.
The deal carries risks for both governments.
Pakistan is likely to face a domestic backlash, given rampant anti-American sentiment in the country and the government's failure to force the US to stop drone attacks targeting militants and accede to other demands made by parliament.
The Pakistani Taliban vowed to attack trucks carrying NATO supplies once they start moving, calling the government a slave to the US.
Anger at Pakistan is high in Washington because of the country's alleged support for militants fighting US troops in Afghanistan.
US President Barack Obama risks exposing himself to criticism from Republicans, including presidential challenger Mitt Romney. He contends the administration is too quick to apologize in foreign policy matters.
This political risk and the underlying anger led the US to hold off apologizing to Pakistan for months, despite repeated demands from Islamabad.
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