Omar1984
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A view of oil tankers standing in a long queue waiting for clearance for the supply of fuel to Nato forces in Afghanistan near the Pak-Afghan border. – Photo by APP.
QUETTA: Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan said on Wednesday that Nato containers and tankers had been causing a yearly loss of Rs50 billion to the National Highway Authority by damaging the road network in Balochistan.
“We have taken up the issue with the US government and Nato member countries and sought compensation for the loss caused by these tankers,” he told Dawn.
“About 100 Nato containers pass through Balochistan daily before entering Afghanistan via Chaman,” he said. The road between Port Qasim and Chaman had been damaged very badly, he added.
He said the tankers had also been causing traffic accidents, claiming many lives in the province.
Earlier, the minister told a press conference that development projects worth Rs70 billion were under way in Balochistan. The province had a 41 per cent share in NHA projects, he added.
Mr Khan said he had directed the authority to expedite work on Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab road to link Gwadar port with other parts of the country.
He said his ministry had received 5,000 applications and deserving candidates would be given jobs under the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan package very soon.