Pakistan considers imposing tax on Nato supply trucks

[Lankan Ranger]

Pakistan considers imposing tax on Nato supply trucks

The federal government on Saturday said that it is considering imposing a tax on Nato supply trucks going to Afghanistan from Pakistan routes.

Nato supplies are sent to Afghanistan through Chaman and Torkhum road networks. According to sources, some 500 trucks filled from Pakistani refineries go to Afghanistan on a daily basis.

This has been a daily routine since last seven years.

Numerous Pakistani highways have been adversely affected due to the transporting of heavy trucks and hence the federal government said that it has started considering a tax on the supply trucks.

The government may also demand road tax from the US for the past seven years of transporting these trucks, which would amount to approximately Rs.600 million.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Pakistan considers imposing tax on Nato supply trucks

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------

 

[Hyde]

well if there is less to lose on economic aids..... Do it right now

That will surely generate big money perhaps billions of rupees per annum

 

[American Pakistani]

This must be done immidiately. I wonder why it had not been done before.

 

[Patrician]

This must be done immidiately. I wonder why it had not been done before.

It was not considered before because , I believe, earlier Pak considered itself to be an ally in the WoT whereas now, it is more and more shifting towards being an 'acquaintance'.

Some policy changes vis a vis WoT are on the cards I believe.

 

[Omar1984]

It was not considered before because , I believe, earlier Pak considered itself to be an ally in the WoT whereas now, it is more and more shifting towards being an 'acquaintance'.

Some policy changes vis a vis WoT are on the cards I believe.

That's not true. NATO trucks are causing a lot of damage to Pakistan's roads & highways.

The following article is from 2009:

Nato trucks damaging Indus Highway

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani authorities are simply helpless in checking truckloads of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces badly damaging the Indus Highway, the repair of which would cost billions of rupees to the national exchequer, TheNation has learnt reliably.

NATO trucks and trailers have not been claimed even for once for the repair and maintenance work, while the cracks are developed on Indus Highway after every three to four months due to overloading, informed well-placed sources. These truckloads with oil and other material pass the Indus Highway to enter Afghanistan. Normally, the criterion set for trucks or heavy vehicles is that those with extra load above the recommended standards are not allowed and violators are fined by the National Highway Authority (NHA) but in case of NATO these rules do not simply apply.

NHA has set its measuring standard 17.5 tons for 2Excel Bedford while 2Excel Single Hino can carry 17.5 tons. Overloading fines starts from Rs1,000 to Rs 5,000 in each case with one-month imprisonment.

It is pertinent to mention here that NATO trucks have been frequently using the Indus Highway mainly from Karachi to Peshawar for a long time.

These trucks pass through the roads of main cities of country Karachi, Haiderabad, Shikarpur, Kashmor, D.G Khan, D.I.Khan, Peshawar and then cross the border to reach Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the sources said that most of the weighing stations on Indus Highway are not up to the mark. When contacted, Director Road and Transport Shoaib said that cracks are developed on the road due to overloading. “Due Overloading of trucks cracks are developed even after three to four months,” he said and admitted there was no proper mechanism for weighing station to check it.
When contacted, ISAF Joint Command Public Affairs Darin Russel said that they were only aware of contracted trucks not NATO-owned trucks. He also referred this scribe to contact trucking companies for information. After repeated tries the PRO of National Highway Authority (NHA) did not pick his cell phone as well as office number to give his comments.


Nato trucks damaging Indus Highway | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[Awesome]

well if there is less to lose on economic aids..... Do it right now

That will surely generate big money perhaps billions of rupees per annum

Screw economic aid. Charity should be rejected. This is a business transaction and should have been treated as such from the get go.

No lump sum fees should be taken. Itemize everything and take a profit wherever possible. It will be more fair to the US and to Pakistan as well, transparency - only losers will be corrupt folks, since an itemized bill would make things tougher for them.

 

[Avatar]

I think that this supply route Drama was a very good move by Pakistan. It might have hurt relationships with US, but would improve immediate and long run relations with Taliban. Also, Pakistan would benefit over a forced US withdrawal over a voluntary withdrawal from Afghanistan.

However, If I was a Pakistani I would actually hope that US remains in Afghanistan as long as possible. Emotions aside, this is what benefits Paksitan. This is what Musharraf wants. Losing billions of dollars in aid and diplomacy leverage over US will be worse than anything that is to be gained (including pride) form US withdrawal.

 

[Avatar]

Screw economic aid. Charity should be rejected. This is a business transaction and should have been treated as such from the get go.

No lump sum fees should be taken. Itemize everything and take a profit wherever possible. It will be more fair to the US and to Pakistan as well, transparency - only losers will be corrupt folks, since an itemized bill would make things tougher for them.

CWG bills were also itemized. Rs 10 lakh per treadmill per month, Rs 9000 per plastic chair, and Rs 10,000 for liquid soap

 

[third eye]

It is surprising that this was not already in place. The roads, bridges, culverts must need regular maintenance .

The volume of traffic & the loads ( each truck must be 7 - 14 tonne load category) must tell on the road surface. Besides keeping them open in the winters & rains must cost.

Someone has to pay. Toll is the fastest way to generate cash daily.

 

[mubashirtaqi]

pakistan should impose tax on Nato supply trucks

 

[Zee-Gen]

Losing billions of dollars in aid and diplomacy leverage over US will be worse than anything that is to be gained (including pride) form US withdrawal.

We don’t really need billions of dollars in aid when we can easily earn or save loosing billions of dollars in WOT. See by yourself.

Karachi-to-Torkham Toll Charges:

Super Highway
4/5/6 axle trucks 155 Rs.
………………………………………………
National Highway
4/5/6 axle trucks 155 Rs.
………………………………………………
Motorways
4/5/6 axle trucks 580 Rs. (Islamabad to Peshawar)
………………………………………………
Kohat Tunnel
4/5/6 axle trucks 275 Rs.
Toll Rates

Now calculate the toll of Super Highway + National Highway (5 toll points roughly) + Motorway + Kohat Tunnel, it becomes 1780 Rs./truck…….so, 300 containers/day (lowest no.) mean 535500 Rs. ($6223/day or $2.240280 million/year)……Add the cost of National Highway Authority’s project with World Bank by the name of Pakistan Highway Rehabilitation Project (PHRP) due to road damage caused by these heavy trucks’ decade-long travel…….$282 will provide World Bank (keep this in mind that the amount is payable in return with interest)…..add octroi tax, usage fees/maintenance fees that we are not charging them as of yet, Rs 2.082 trillion loss in WOT in the form of exports, foreign investment, industrial output and tax collection etc. and minus all these figures from what we are gaining as aid and see by yourself is it profitable or not.

About diplomacy leverage……..well what fruitful benefits we have gained as of yet, I don’t know.

 

[JonAsad]

Good, charge them in Dollars.

 

[Awesome]

I think that this supply route Drama was a very good move by Pakistan. It might have hurt relationships with US, but would improve immediate and long run relations with Taliban. Also, Pakistan would benefit over a forced US withdrawal over a voluntary withdrawal from Afghanistan.

However, If I was a Pakistani I would actually hope that US remains in Afghanistan as long as possible. Emotions aside, this is what benefits Paksitan. This is what Musharraf wants. Losing billions of dollars in aid and diplomacy leverage over US will be worse than anything that is to be gained (including pride) form US withdrawal.

Aid doesn't help Pakistan, only helps the corrupt leaders.

 

[Awesome]

It is surprising that this was not already in place. The roads, bridges, culverts must need regular maintenance .

The volume of traffic & the loads ( each truck must be 7 - 14 tonne load category) must tell on the road surface. Besides keeping them open in the winters & rains must cost.

Someone has to pay. Toll is the fastest way to generate cash daily.

The US and Pakistan's leaders preferred giving and taking lump sum amounts. This helped the US not have to negotiate and renegotiate prices for every little things. Taxes have to be for something specific. So if you have road tax, security tax, parking tax and so on, US money would go to reimburse specific costs.

Making it harder for Pakistani leaders to loot and more work for the US to ask for more funds.

 

[JonAsad]

pakistan should impose tax on Nato supply trucks

Brilliant idea