Pakistan trucks to resume NATO supplies
Supply trucks lie idle in Karachi - the result of a seven month closure imposed on NATO supply routes here.
The routes had been closed after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by NATO aircraft last November, but the U.S. and Pakistan have now reached a deal to reopen the roads.
For truck drivers it means a chance to get back to work.
(SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) TRUCK DRIVER, AMEER NAWAZ:
"We are happy that the U.S. has apologised. We are also happy that we will get our jobs back. Now our worries and problems will be solved."
After the announcement of the deal, the Pakistani Taliban militant group immediately threatened to attack trucks that resume carrying supplies into Afghanistan.
Truck drivers are calling on the government to provide increased security; one said the threat of attack outweighs the benefits of reopening the routes.
(SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) TRUCK DRIVER YASEEN KHAN:
"It is more dangerous than advantageous in reopening the supply routes. The main threat is the Taliban and other military groups that carry out different types of attack."
The Pakistani routes into Afghanistan will become even more important to NATO as commanders prepare to withdraw most of the 128,000 NATO soldiers in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.
The routes had been closed after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by NATO aircraft last November, but the U.S. and Pakistan have now reached a deal to reopen the roads.
For truck drivers it means a chance to get back to work.
(SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) TRUCK DRIVER, AMEER NAWAZ:
"We are happy that the U.S. has apologised. We are also happy that we will get our jobs back. Now our worries and problems will be solved."
After the announcement of the deal, the Pakistani Taliban militant group immediately threatened to attack trucks that resume carrying supplies into Afghanistan.
Truck drivers are calling on the government to provide increased security; one said the threat of attack outweighs the benefits of reopening the routes.
(SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) TRUCK DRIVER YASEEN KHAN:
"It is more dangerous than advantageous in reopening the supply routes. The main threat is the Taliban and other military groups that carry out different types of attack."
The Pakistani routes into Afghanistan will become even more important to NATO as commanders prepare to withdraw most of the 128,000 NATO soldiers in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.
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