Nato supplies via Khyber Pass halted due to security

KHYBER AGENCY - Due to rising attacks on Nato oil tankers and containers, the Khyber Agency administration halted Nato supplies via Khyber Pass on Tuesday, official sources said. The sources said that supply line via Khyber Pass to Torkham border had been suspended temporarily. The administration had received information that militants would conduct more attacks on Nato tankers, an official on condition of anonymity told. Scores of loaded trucks and oil tankers were witnessed returning to Peshawar, the sources said. It may be noted here that five oil tankers and two containers were destroyed in bomb blasts in Landi kotal during the current week. Agencies add: At least 21 oil tankers carrying fuel supplies for Nato and Isaf forces in Afghanistan were set ablaze in separate incidents in Muzaffargarh, Multan and Khyber Agency on Monday night. According to officials, three Nato oil tankers were destroyed in an explosion at a terminal at the Torkham border crossing in the Khyber Agency late Monday night. Few minutes later in the same area, two more Nato tankers were damaged when the gunmen opened fire at them. The Nato supplies through Torkham border were suspended after attacks on the oil tankers. In another attack near Multan, four oil tankers were torched by miscreants on late Monday night. Separately, at Mandah Chowk in Muzaffargarh, militants opened fire at Nato oil-supplying tankers which resulted in eruption of fire. Twelve tankers and nearby parked vehicles were destroyed in the incident. Last week, the Pakistan Oil Tanker Owners Association demanded more protection from the government. The group had threatened Friday to stop supplying fuel to Nato forces in Afghanistan if the government failed to act decisively. The bulk of fuel and other non-lethal supplies for Nato troops in Afghanistan moves through Pakistan.