NATO trucks caused Rs.100 bn damage to roads: Pakistan

Islamabad, April 20 (IANS) Heavy NATO containers, trundling through Pakistan to Afghanistan, caused Rs.100 billion worth of damage to the country's roads, said a minister.

Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan Thursday said the government has taken up the issue with US officials, but America had not paid any compensation to Pakistan.

"In future, no free ride will be allowed and taxes will be imposed for the use as well as damage to our highways," the daily Dawn qouted him as saying.

Pakistan had cut the NATO supply route to Afghanistan after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 injured Nov 26 last year in NATO air strikes on two border posts in Mohmand Agency near the Afghan border.

The incident further worsened the deteriorating relationship between Washington and Islamabad, which began to strain after the covert US raid in Pakistan May 2 last year that killed Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.

Pakistan had earlier estimated that it needs around $1.3 billion to repair the roads damaged due to heavy traffic for NATO forces in Afghanistan.

According to the findings of the government's annual road condition survey 2011, various routes comprising 4,046 km used as NATO supply lines had suffered 26 percent damages.