Catch-22: ‘Choking supply routes will affect thousands of traders’
Associations argue everyone is open to attack as NATO and transit trade containers are not distinguishable.
"The US cannot be pressurised by such small moves, however, businessmen and thousands of families will definitely suffer," Pak-Afghan Transit Trade President Ziaul Haq Sarhadi. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest to halt Nato supplies saw tremendous support from the public on Saturday, but the situation turned from bad to worse for thousands associated with supplying or withdrawing goods from Afghanistan.
Around 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles are supplying goods to foreign troops in Afghanistan and are taking goods back to Karachi via Torkham in the withdrawal process, said Nato Vehicles Association (NVA) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Rafiullah Marwat.
Rafi said around 100,000 people are directly involved in this business in K-P and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The PTI’s stance to stop the supply lines would mean starvation for all these families, argued Rafi. He said it might not affect the US, however, it would prove lethal for Pakistan and its people.
Rafi added PTI and its allies are only politicising the matter to gather sympathies for upcoming local government elections. None of these parties – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party or PTI – can stop the supply lines because an agreement has been signed by the government of Pakistan, claimed the NVA K-P president.
If the federal government wants to pressurise the US, they should cancel the agreement at once and not halt supplies temporarily as this would not solve anything. “We condemn the drone attacks, but we are also in the business for the sake of our families.”
Rafi insisted the government should devise a policy to stop drones rather than politicising it through dual policies.
He argued the supply will not end up being stopped, but now everyone associated with this business would be targeted by militants. “If the K-P government can provide us all with alternate means of income, we will happily leave the supply business,” claimed Rafi.
K-P Dry Ports Standing Committee Chief and President of Pak-Afghan Joint Transit Trade, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi agreed halting the supply will not do the nation any good, but will badly impact the economy. The protests will prove even worse for transit trade; “No one knows which vehicles carry Nato supplies, and which are for transit trade.”
Sarhadi said the attacks on Nato vehicles, in which a large number of transit trade vehicles were also targeted, compelled traders to change their route. He claimed 80% of trade was now done via Iran, rather than the easier route of Torkham. The remaining 20% trade, which goes via Torkham, will now be in jeopardy, added Sarhadi.
He suggested the PTI should devise a policy to mark Nato containers so as to distinguish them from transit trade containers. Businessmen did not have money for insurance, nor were they economically stable enough to compensate for any losses they might incur, insisted the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade president.
About 200 transit trade trucks have been stuck at the dry port because of this issue, claimed Sarhadi. “The US cannot be pressurised by such small moves, however, businessmen and thousands of families will definitely suffer.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2013.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest to halt Nato supplies saw tremendous support from the public on Saturday, but the situation turned from bad to worse for thousands associated with supplying or withdrawing goods from Afghanistan.
Around 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles are supplying goods to foreign troops in Afghanistan and are taking goods back to Karachi via Torkham in the withdrawal process, said Nato Vehicles Association (NVA) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Rafiullah Marwat.
Rafi said around 100,000 people are directly involved in this business in K-P and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The PTI’s stance to stop the supply lines would mean starvation for all these families, argued Rafi. He said it might not affect the US, however, it would prove lethal for Pakistan and its people.
Rafi added PTI and its allies are only politicising the matter to gather sympathies for upcoming local government elections. None of these parties – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party or PTI – can stop the supply lines because an agreement has been signed by the government of Pakistan, claimed the NVA K-P president.
If the federal government wants to pressurise the US, they should cancel the agreement at once and not halt supplies temporarily as this would not solve anything. “We condemn the drone attacks, but we are also in the business for the sake of our families.”
Rafi insisted the government should devise a policy to stop drones rather than politicising it through dual policies.
He argued the supply will not end up being stopped, but now everyone associated with this business would be targeted by militants. “If the K-P government can provide us all with alternate means of income, we will happily leave the supply business,” claimed Rafi.
K-P Dry Ports Standing Committee Chief and President of Pak-Afghan Joint Transit Trade, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi agreed halting the supply will not do the nation any good, but will badly impact the economy. The protests will prove even worse for transit trade; “No one knows which vehicles carry Nato supplies, and which are for transit trade.”
Sarhadi said the attacks on Nato vehicles, in which a large number of transit trade vehicles were also targeted, compelled traders to change their route. He claimed 80% of trade was now done via Iran, rather than the easier route of Torkham. The remaining 20% trade, which goes via Torkham, will now be in jeopardy, added Sarhadi.
He suggested the PTI should devise a policy to mark Nato containers so as to distinguish them from transit trade containers. Businessmen did not have money for insurance, nor were they economically stable enough to compensate for any losses they might incur, insisted the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade president.
About 200 transit trade trucks have been stuck at the dry port because of this issue, claimed Sarhadi. “The US cannot be pressurised by such small moves, however, businessmen and thousands of families will definitely suffer.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2013.