S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 003645


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MARR PK
SUBJECT: TORKHAM TO KHYBER HIGHWAY OPENS TO CONVOYS TO
AFGHANISTAN

REF: ISLAMABAD 3596

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The main land route to Afghanistan through
Pakistan, the Torkham to Khyber highway, was re-opened to
truck convoys on November 17. It had been closed by local
authorities for five days because of security concerns
following a November 10 attack on a convoy in which 13
trucks, including two U.S. DOD contractor trucks, were
hijacked and the cargo looted. Local authorities continue to
limit the number of trucks in any convoy as well as the
number of convoys permitted to travel to Afghanistan; post is
pressing to increase these numbers. DOD contractors are
considering using an alternative route through southern
Pakistan. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On November 17, local officials opened the Torkham to
Khyber highway to U.S./ISAF convoy traffic but limited the
number of trucks allowed in any one convoy because of
security considerations. The Khyber Agency road was closed
to convoys on November 12, following the November 10
hijacking of 13 trucks on November 10 (Reftel). Under the
present system, 50 trucks per day moving in two separate
convoys are permitted to cross into Afghanistan. DOD
contractors were allotted a total of 25 trucks of dry cargo
per day, with the other 25 going to NATO/ISAF (non U.S.
contractors), UN World Food Program as well as NATO/ISAF and
U.S. consigned fuel trucks. However, DOD contractors were
able to take advantage of no-shows of other carriers to move
43 trucks on November 17, 33 trucks on November 18 and 43
trucks on November 19.


3. (C) According to the Office of Defense Representation in
Pakistan (ODRP), the Pakistan military is currently
developing plans to provide security (a Frontier Corps wing)
to convoys along the Torkham to Khyber highway. ODRP
believes there is a necessity to move 60 dry cargo trucks per
day to meet growing demand. Consulate Peshawar has
approached FATA Secretary for Law and Order, Ghulam Qadir,
about the need to increase the size of the convoys.
Additionally, DOD contractors are exploring other
contingencies available, such as rerouting more critical
cargo through the southern Chaman Border crossing and then
moving cargo and fuel from Kandahar to Kabul.


PATTERSON