Following the reopening of the NATO supply route, at least 5,500 trucks and oil tankers will head towards Afghanistan in the first phase from Karachi’s twin ports. “In next 24 hours we will move for Afghanistan as we have received instructions from our concerned contractors,” said Israr Shanwari, secretary general of Transporters Association. About 5,500 oil tankers and trawlers will move toward Kabul and Kandahar in Afghanistan after a gap of seven months following the NATO attack on Salala checkpost. “4,000 trawlers are loaded with NATO’s arms and goods and 1,500 oil tankers are ready to travel to Afghanistan,” said Shanwari. The routes will be the same: trucks moving to Kabul will take the route through Hyderabad, Sukkur, Attock, and Peshawar to Torkham and will complete their journey in 13 to 15 days. Those going to Kandahar via Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Sibi, Quetta and Chamman will take 10 to 12 days. “Contractors assured us that foolproof security will be provided on the routes,” said Shanwari. Al-Faisal Contractors, Water Link, Agility Logistics and LaGuardia Logistics are key contractors of food, armed goods and supplies, while Al-Haaj Enterprises, Mangal Brothers, Spinzer Enterprises and Bilal Logistics are transporting oil. Shanwari added that these companies pay Rs 0.5 million for trucks going to Kabul and Rs 0.25 million for the trip to Kandahar.
