Karachi: Pakistani authorities are faced with the problem of severe congestion as containers and vessels carrying military hardware and heavy vehicles for the US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan have been held up at the Karachi port following a diplomatic row between Washington and Islamabad.
Port authorities said the situation worsened after a US vessel “Freedom” berthed at the port on Saturday, carrying 300 heavy military vehicles and 132 containers.
The government decision was in retaliation to the 26 November US airstrikes. Reuters
Another two ships with NATO supplies, including reefer containers with refrigeration system, are due in a few days.
Pakistani authorities here have sought advice of the government due to the severe congestion.
“Before the blockade the port used to function round the clock because of supplies to the US and Nato forces in Afghanistan had to be moved quickly. But now the situation is bad because the congestion is beyond our control,” one senior official said.
The containers and vessels carrying military hardware and heavy vehicles besides other goods have been held up at the Karachi port with their consignments since the government relaxed the Afghan border for Nato and US supplies.
The government decision was in retaliation to the 26 November US airstrikes in the Mohmand tribal area in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed.
Since than relations between Islamabad and Washington have been tense and plunged.
The manifest of the “Freedom” declares the cargo as “goods in transit to Afghanistan” and the importer is the US military and the consignor, Surface Deployment and Command.
The vessel is loaded with Humvee vehicles widely used by US forces in the Afghan war.
“Since the blockade happened we have had atleast three big US vessels berthed, one of them had brought in around 1,200 US military vehicles,” the official said.
Few days back, the paramilitary rangers also seized two containers carrying military hardware in the city and have docked them at a warehouse under their control.
The port official said according to a rough estimate around 4,000 military vehicles and 1,732 containers were waiting for clearance at the port.
Shipping and terminal operators said the US had recently ordered to re-manifest all its military cargo stranded at Pakistani ports for exports.
PTI