LATEST NEWS:

Ibrahim Shinwari

Dawn

Publication Date : 11-02-2013

About 25 containers carrying goods belonging to Nato troops in Afghanistan crossed the Torkham border checkpost into Pakistan over the past three days, according to official sources.

They said the supply of goods from Afghanistan to Pakistan had resumed after a break of 15 months.

Pakistan had blocked supply of goods to foreign troops in Afghanistan after Nato’s bombing of the Salala checkpost in Mohmand Agency on Nov 26, 2011, that killed 25 soldiers.

The sources confirmed that the containers crossed into Pakistan and were allowed to proceed to Peshawar en route to Karachi port after formal clearance at the Torkham border post in the east.

A heavy contingent of Frontier Corps personnel escorted 13 trailers carrying the 25 containers up to the Karkhano Market checkpost before they entered Peshawar.

Customs clearing agents working at the Torkham post said the entry of containers into Pakistan was not the beginning of withdrawal of Nato troops from Afghanistan because reverse supplies of Nato goods to countries whose soldiers were stationed in Afghanistan was a routine matter before Pakistan suspended Nato supplies in protest against the Salala incident.

They said the entry of 25 containers had been allowed on trial basis. If the exercise was deemed to be successful, they said, more Nato containers might transit through Pakistan.