Transportation via Kohat tunnel: APOTOA warns to halt oil supply if ban not lifted

Oil tankers owners have warned that they will halt supply to different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa if the ban on transportation via Kohat tunnel is not lifted by the authorities concerned within next two days. Speaking at a news conference at press club, here on Thursday, All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association (APOTOA) Chairman Mohammad Shafi Marwat said that ban was imposed on movement of oil tankers via Kohat tunnel for last eight months, causing host of difficulties for the community. He said that around 11 oil tankers had plunged in Kotal mountains, an alternative route, which caused death of number of drivers in incidents.
The association chief said the issue was raised with authorities concerned again and again, but it remained inconclusive. He said the government collecting billions of rupees from oil tanker owners in names of various taxes has adopted step-motherly attitude with them, he regretted. He said the ban on carrying tankers via Kohat tunnel was adversely affected their business couple with bearing additional transportation charges via Kotal mountain region, due to which, they are severely disturbed.
He demanded KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, and other relevant officials to issue directives for immediate lifting of restrictions on transportation of oil tankers via Kohat tunnel to mitigate the sufferings of the owners. Otherwise, he said they would suspend supply of oil to different parts of KP from November 11.