NATO supplies unlikely to resume immediately

Pakistan unlikely to immediately resume supplies for Nato troops in Afghanistan despite a public apology.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is unlikely to immediately resume supplies for Nato troops in Afghanistan despite a public apology by top US military and civilian leadership regarding the cross-border raid on September 30 that killed two security officials.

A military official told The Express Tribune on Thursday that the resumption of Nato supplies might take at least 10 days.

“We are still evaluating the security situation and the public mood,” said the official, who requested anonymity.

He said currently there are over 7,000 Nato trucks stranded at the Torkham border, which remained closed for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday.

“Even if Pakistan reopens the border today, it would take at least three to four days for these  trucks to start rolling ahead,” the official added.

He also disclosed that a top US official was expected in Pakistan in the next few days, and the decision of reopening the border might be taken then.

On Thursday, US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen conveyed his “most sincere condolences” in a letter to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani. “We take this incident very seriously. I wanted to send my most sincere condolences for the regrettable loss of your soldiers killed and wounded on September 30 near your border with Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, Nato is trying to downplay the closure of the key supply line, insisting the move has not ‘impeded’ military operations in Afghanistan.

Spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) Brigadier-General Josef Blotz said the alliance had built up reserves and developed alternative supply routes that allowed it to weather temporary disruptions.

Blotz added that he hoped a return to normal operations along both routes could be “closer” after the apology and the publication of a joint Pakistani-ISAF probe into the incident.

While an Isaf statement issued on Wednesday conceded that two Nato helicopters violated the country’s airspace several times on September 30, the Pakistan military is expected to issue a detailed statement today (Friday) regarding the issue.

The Express Tribune has learnt that the US-led force in Afghanistan have given ‘firm assurance’ that such border violations will be avoided in future.

Meanwhile, addressing a weekly briefing, Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said that Pakistan had not yet taken a decision on the reopening of the Torkham border.

“A decision regarding the reopening of the supply route will be taken in due course,” he said.

However, he refused to comment on the security arrangements under which Nato trucks supply goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

The spokesman condemned the US drone attacks, which saw an unprecedented surge in recent weeks, and also denied that Pakistan had any tacit understanding with the Americans.

“Neither is there any justification, nor any understanding,” Basit insisted. “We believe those are counterproductive and also a violation of our sovereignty,” he added. (Additional input from Agencies)

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2010.