Pakistan military has denied that it is considering to reopen the Nato supply route and no such issue was discussed in telephonic conversation between Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaz Kayani and Isaf Commander in Afghanistan General John Allen.
In a statement, the ISPR stated, "During the conversation between Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Isaf Commander in Afghanistan General John Allen the issue of reopening the Nato supply route did not come under discussion". Earlier, reports had indicated that this issue was discussed in a telephonic conversation between Generals Kayani and Allen on Monday.
General John Allen had said that Pakistan showed signs of communication resumption, which was halted following the Nato strike in Pakistan that killed 24 soldiers. It had been reported that General Allen had said that he had talked to General Kayani. During the conversation, the two officials expressed the resolve to get to the facts of Mohmand Agency attack.
The Isaf commander had said he was confident that Pakistan would soon send back its co-ordination officials, who were recalled after the Mohmand strike, at Nato Headquarters in Afghanistan. Same feeling was also conveyed by US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter during an interview to a private TV channel on Monday. He had termed Nato attack on Pakistani check post a failure of Pak-US co-ordination mechanism.
Munter had said that elimination of militancy in Afghanistan was also in favour of Pakistan and expressed hope that Nato supply issue would be resolved soon. President of Khyber Transport Association, Shakir Ullah Afridi, told Business Recorder that approximately 1850 oil tank trucks and containers were back at various points in KP, Balochistan and Punjab. This shows that supply of around 51 million litres JP-8 fuel is no more reaching Nato troops in Afghanistan along with non-lethal weapons.
He said that 34 oil tankers were torched at two different points in last 18 days after the government closed the supply route of Nato/Isaf. He added that up to 40 percent supply was going via Pakistan before closure of the route. Shakir said that Nato supply at Chaman border check post in Balochistan was redirected to offload the consignments at Karachi.
The oil tankers in KP and Punjab have been directed to return to Moman Kot main oil depot near Multan. he said. "We are expecting that the supply to Nato/Isaf will be opened in the next three weeks". He further said the transport sector in KP will flourish further if US troops in Afghanistan were withdrawn. The route via Afghanistan would be opened to take the freight to Central Asian Republics.