Thousands Of NATO Containers Stranded At Karachi

Islamabad, July 25, IRNA – Pakistan had lifted ban on NATO supply lines last month but the containers carrying goods for the forces stationing in Afghanistan remain stranded at the port city of Karachi, a media report said on Tuesday. 'The cargo has stood there for almost eight months now,” Express Tribune reported. According to Karachi Port Trust (KPT) General Manager (Operations) Rear Admiral Azhar Hayat, not a single container of NATO supplies has left the KPT premises since July 3, when Pakistan officially reopened the ground lines of communication. Islamabad had blocked NATO supplies on November 26, 2011, after the killing of two dozen soldiers in a NATO-led air raid on a border post. “There has been no clearance of NATO cargo at KPT so far, but we expect the process will begin in the current week,” Hayat told the daily, adding there was no hindrance on the part of the KPT as consignees needed to get their cargoes cleared from the customs department. There are 3,851 vehicles and 1,983 containers belonging to NATO currently stranded at the KPT. When the supply routes were resumed some three weeks ago, port authorities expected to receive up to Rs2.2 billion from NATO for storing its containers and vehicles for an extended period of time. Known as demurrage charges, the expected amount has now exceeded Rs2.5 billion, according to Hayat. Moreover, the KPT has not entertained any vessels carrying Afghanistan-bound cargo in the last three weeks. Hayat offered no comment when asked about the possible reason for the delay on the part of NATO authorities to get their cargoes released from the KPT./end