Pak reduces transit fee, seeks $2,000 per NATO tanker

Pakistan has reportedly demanded $1,800 (Rs 1 lakh) to $2,000 (Rs 1.11 lakh) as the fee for every North Atlantic Treaty Organisation container truck and tanker during negotiations with the US for reopening supply routes for foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Earlier, the US had refused to accept Pakistan's demand of $5000 (Rs 2.7 lakh) a truck. Since then, negotiations have been underway and Pakistan has now proposed a fee of between $1,800 and $2,000.

"Once the deal is finalised, it will end the standoff between the United States and Pakistan over the NATO supply routes, which started in November 1 the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a NATO air strike on Salala check post," a Pakistani government official told PTI. He said Pakistan could no longer bear the US pressure for reopening the NATO routes as the country's financial interests were attached to the issue.

On the other hand, the Defa-e-Pakistan Council, a grouping of over 40 hardline and extremist groups cobbled together by Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, has warned that it would organise a "long march" if the federal government reopens the supply routes that were closed after the NATO air strike.

"We have also learnt that the Pakistani government has almost agreed to reopen the NATO routes by charging $2,000 from the US for each truck," said Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hassan, who is part of the DPC. He said Pakistan was facing "extreme pressure" from the US in this regard.

"We think the government cannot sustain the American pressure and it will surely reopen the NATO supply routes in the near future," he said.