Fuel transporters, crew members cheerful

Financially fragile transporters and crew manning their vehicles were euphoric on Wednesday after hearing the news regarding the resumption of Nato supplies immediately turned, feasting and celebrating, saying that their monetary ordeals were finally ended. "As soon as I heard the news on a private TV channel that the government is resuming Nato supplies, I became excited," said a tanker driver named Muhammad Shahid Afridi.
But he was also happy that his country's leadership finally made a global superpower tender an apology for violating Pakistan's territorial sovereignty. According to him, the halt in Nato supplies had badly affected the financial position of nearly all transporters and truck owners.
"On Tuesday night, we celebrated with a feast. We sacrificed sheep and hosted a dinner for all our colleagues who have so far been living in hope of the resumption of Nato supplies," said Afridi. A majority of tankers' owners, drivers and their crews live in the Shireen Jinnah Colony - a spot near oil terminals along the Karachi coast. They had been hoping that their financial woes would be over once the government notified the resumption of Nato supplies.
Many of them, however, seemed indifferent to the growing security threats from militants. They said: "They are afraid of death or injuries. We remain undaunted and ready to carry out our duties despite violent attacks mounted by militants." But, they were still unsure when the supplies would be actually resumed. Some of them thought the government might still take a few days before allowing transporters to fill their tankers.
"We have not yet received any sales order. Therefore, we are not sure when the supplies will (actually) restart," said Amin Gul Mehsud, who is the owner of two oil tankers. He drives one of them. He said that the move would help all people related to the business pay off their debts, besides affording them another chance to accumulate money for their families.
The halted Nato supplies took seven months and eight days to resume, he said, adding that truck owners, drivers and their crews suffered the most. "We nearly became destitute and had to rely heavily on borrowings." However, Zabihuallah Khan expressed fear regarding persistent security threats to the lives of thousands of workers associated with fuel supplies to Afghanistan.
"Several young drivers and poor cleaners working on oil tankers have been killed during their journeys to Afghanistan," he said. The government, he said, should promptly take action to defuse these threats. Stressing the need for adequate security, he said that the government should ensure smooth passage of tankers through all parts of the country, adding that army personnel should escort fuel convoys.