Pakistan to make more parking spaces for trucks to speed up NATO supply transit

Islamabad, July 10 (ANI): Pakistan will double the capacity for NATO trucks at a key border crossing, in order to speed up processing for an expected influx of supplies for troops in Afghanistan, officials have said.

According to Customs officials at Torkham border crossing in Pakistan's northwest, work has begun to expand dedicated parking space for NATO containers.

"After expansion the parking capacity for NATO trucks will be doubled. Prior to the closure the terminal had a parking capacity of 250 vehicles and now we are expanding it to 500," the Daily Times quoted Obaidullah Khan, a Customs official, as saying.

Khan said work was also underway on two dedicated rooms for Customs officers dealing with paperwork for NATO vehicles.

Security at the crossing is being boosted to prevent Taliban attacks, who have vowed to attack NATO trucks and kill their drivers, added Khan.

Four checkpoints are being set up around the Torkham terminal and the number of security personnel will be raised from the previous level of 550.

"No NATO supply vehicle will be allowed to pass a night at Torkham, even if we need to work extra time," Khan said. (ANI)