ISLAMABAD:
Nato supplies have high externalities.
In its 76th session on Friday, the Senate was informed that the country’s road network had suffered losses worth Rs40 billion due to overloaded Nato containers.
“The National Highway Authority has estimated a loss of about Rs40 billion due to overloaded containers of Nato/Isaf supply goods transported through Karachi-Chaman and Karachi-Torkham routes to Afghanistan,” said Communications Minister Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan.
“We have written several letters to Nato over the issue, but received no reply from their side,” he said, adding “our road network cannot sustain the heavy cargo of Nato supplies.” The supply route is currently blocked after the attack in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 soldiers.
The minister said the offence came under Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965, but was not being implemented.
The issue surfaced during the question hour when members from Balochistan complained against discrimination of road development projects in smaller provinces.
National Party Senator Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said the PPP government had intentionally stopped development work in Balochistan and leader of the opposition Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of JUI-F endorsed his opinion.
Addressing their concerns, the minister said a lack of funds was the reason behind impeding development work and said Rs9 billion have been allocated to the province.
Development packages for the ancestral town of the Bhutto family, Larkana and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s hometown Multan were also discussed. Senator Tahir Mashadi from the MQM questioned development projects for the two cities and said other provinces, including Balochistan, should be given an equal share.
ANP walks out
The treasury benches were embarrassed at the hands of their own ally, Awami National Party (ANP), which walked out when Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was abbreviated as KPK in the written replies of the ministries.
Ilyas Bilour called upon the chair to give a ruling, binding ministries to write the full name of the province, instead of “KPK”.
Government jobs
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Maula Bux Chandio assured the house that provincial quota will be observed for recruitment in federal jobs. The assurance was given in response to objections raised by Fata and K-P senators, who said there were fewer job opportunities for people from their areas.
The session was adjourned for Monday due to Friday prayers which fell during the question hour.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2011.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Hello: Dear, Containers are not loaded "manually - by hand" at KPT - They are being put on a truck that just drove away towards the border. Containers are not BEING OPENED and "NO" INSPECTION is allowed by Pakistani Authority (as far as I have read the news). As far as fault lies - WELL we have so called democratic govt. for the last 4 years why not they explain their position on this issue
Are the Chaman and Torkham routes both closed or only Torkham?
Pakistan Government and the Media lie so much that nobody knows what is going on.
Who is going to foot this bill and who ever does . . . . .please do not call this aid - it is debt owed to the poor exploited nation of Pakistan that seems to be voiceless and is not demanding the 40 billion owed to it for the road damage! The administration needs to do its job, demand this debt owed for fixing this damage.
Why is this a NATO issue -- NATO isn't responsible for transportation -- you are. In case you haven't noticed you not longer moving NATO cargo --- probably better to spend your time/energy getting jobs for all those truckers and warehouseman who are sitting around not getting paid.
If Musharraf had grown a brain, Nato would have paid more than 40 Billion rupees for transit already.
America has given 0 aid this year, despite the fact america has an obligation to pay for bases and help fund anti taliban operations NATO transport results in massive tarrif evasion and damage to roads, nato should pay more tax to pakistan. Musheraff gave too many concessions
Not to bring up old stuff, but uh, but if they actually regulated the corruption in the contractor industry, then you would have properly made roads that can handle large loads vs. a road that cost twice as much to build but only has half the load rating. Just a thought.....
Tax the truckers for this as they are making the money. Don't blame NATO for it.
Quit tugging at my heartstrings, I'm delicate.
It's not NATOs fault. It's local transporters who overload. And it's not just NATO.