Following Taliban threats Pak stops supplies to US, NATO forces

Citing security reasons following Taliban threats, Pakistan has reportedly stopped supplies to the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan through its western Torkham border, with effect from Friday.

Peshawar, Sept 6 : Citing "security reasons" following Taliban threats, Pakistan has reportedly stopped supplies to the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan through its western Torkham border, with effect from Friday.

A senior Pakistan official said that the move to stop supplies was taken after am increase in Taliban threats to trucks carrying the supplies. He dismissed the impression that the decision was a reaction to continued US attacks in Waziristan.

"All Afghanistan-bound supplies for the International Security Assistance Force have been stopped as the [Torkham] highway is vulnerable. This decision has nothing to do with the situation in Waziristan or the US attacks. This is purely a security issue and we want no untoward incident to take place as far as supplies for ISAF are concerned," the Daily Times quoted Khyber Agency political agent Tariq Hayat as saying.

The international Torkham Highway was closed for "vulnerable vehicles", he said while referring to trucks carrying ISAF supplies, and the supplies would resume after the highway was cleared.

The political agent did not say how long the highway would take to be cleared, but added that other traffic would be allowed on the road.

A senior border official at Torkham, 58 km west of Peshawar, said that the closure of the highway would also affect the US forces, which get fuel, food and other military supplies through Torkham crossing points.

The coalition forces also get supplies through the Chaman border in Balochistan, but the bulk of the supplies goes through Torkham - a shorter route for Kabul where the US and NATO forces are based.

ANI