US wants security for NATO vehicles along with resumed supplies

Making the already difficult job a daunting task for Pakistan, the United States is not only asking for reopening of blocked NATO supply routes but also demanding the protection of containers and oil tankers passing through Pakistan before crossing the border into Afghanistan. The US demand for resumption of NATO supplies is not only being debated upon in the parliament, which has convened a joint session for a review of relations with US, but also being widely discussed across the country, along with the new condition of taxation on NATO containers that the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) has recommended. However, according to officials privy to back channel talks between Islamabad and Washington, the US administration is also demanding of Pakistan to arrange for foolproof security for NATO supplies in view of attacks on containers and tankers. “The restoration of NATO supplies depends on the outcome of parliamentary debate on new terms of engagement with the US and the country’s lawmakers will decide whether to reopen the blocked supply lines or not. In case, the parliament approves the resumption of NATO supplies, their protection will be a daunting task for Pakistani security forces,” said a diplomat while seeking anonymity. He said NATO containers and oil tankers cover a very long route across the country before crossing into Afghanistan through border entry points at Torkham in Khyber Agency or Chaman in Balochistan. He said if security forces were deployed at the sensitive places at least, it would be a very costly affair. He said the US officials had been informed about the whole situation and it had also been made known to them that in case NATO supplies were restored by the parliament and Pakistan accepted the responsibility of providing security to the convoys, then it would be up to Washington and its allies to arrange for the huge funds required.
Pakistan blocked NATO supplies when NATO aircraft attacked its two border posts in Mohmand Agency in November last year and PCNS was asked to formulate its recommendations on future ties with the United States.
The committee, in January this year, finalised its recommendations, including the one on NATO supplies which linked their restoration to new taxation against the container and oil tankers by Islamabad. The recommendations were tabled before the joint session last month on 20th but the session had to be put off until April 5 owing to a deadlock between the government and opposition parties with some of them opposing the resumption of NATO supplies, and others linking them to a halt in drone strikes.
When contacted, a security official said the contentious issue of NATO supplies was discussed in detail a few days ago when US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General James Mattis visited Islamabad and met Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other military commanders.
He said the US officials wanted the resumption of NATO supplies as soon as possible and they were deeply perturbed over the delay in this regard. “The Americans’ concerns have been conveyed to Pakistani authorities,” he said, seeking anonymity.