KARACHI: Transporters responsible for carrying Nato goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan have announced that they will not start working until private contractors pay them their dues and detention charges.
They have formed a 12-member committee to discuss the issue with freight forwarders, which are private companies who have been given contracts to transport Nato goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association spokesman Israr Ahmed Shinwari, who is also a member of the committee, told The Express Tribune that contractors have to pay them detention charges for the last eight months.
The truck owners have demanded “detention charges” of Rs4,000 per day, per truck, for every day that truck has remained stranded in the country. Following this rate, the contractors are expected to pay Rs120,000 for every truck that remained stranded for a month. The transorters are also demanding an additional Rs100,000 per truck, which they say is necessary for repairing the vehicles and purchasing insurance for the vehicles as well as their drivers.
“Nealry 1,580 trucks have been stranded across different places in the country, including Karachi, since November 26, 2011. Their engines and bodies need to repaired and we need money it. However, the contractors have not paid us yet,” said Shinwari.
He added that only a few Nato supply trucks, that were standing close to the border, had entered Afghanistan, while a majority of them had not left Pakistan. None of the massive oil tankers have left for Afghanistan.
Waheed Mughal, another member of the committee, said that 600 truck owners had already given them the keys of their vehicles. “We will not let anyone carry Nato supplies until all our dues are paid.”
Mughal added that some freight forwarders had contacted them to resolve the issue, but the committee wanted to hold dialogue with all contractors to settle the issue. “We will visit their offices to discuss the issue, but if they do not accept our demands, then we will launch a protest drive.”
The truck drivers showed up in large numbers at a demonstration on Monday at Shireen Jinnah Colony, and claimed that they will protest today as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 18th, 2012.
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