LANDI KOTAL/ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: The government is likely to allow resumption of supplies to International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan and reopen the Peshawar-Torkham highway on Monday.

An official said on Sunday that security forces would escort convoys carrying fuel and other goods from Tahkt Bai to the border town of Torkham.

On Nov 10, a group of militants hijacked 13 trucks carrying supplies for Nato forces and World Food Programme, on the main highway in Jamrud. The group claimed to be working for Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s chief Baitullah Mehsud.

The local administration suspended supplies for allied forces in Afghanistan after closing the 52-kilometre Peshawar-Torkham highway.

Sources in the tribal administration said that the highway had been closed to prepare a new security plan. They said that Frontier Corps and Khasadars would escort the convoys. The number of troops has been increased at various checkposts on the highway.

About 300 to 400 heavy vehicles carrying supplies for Nato forces and goods of transit trade go to Afghanistan via the Torkham border checkpost every day.

The sources said that transportation of goods via Torkham had witnessed a sharp decline since January due to growing militancy and attacks on convoys in the area.

Militants sold the grain looted from the convoy hijacked on Nov 10 at cheap rates in the local market and paraded the two looted Humvees as war “booty”.

The centre has directed the provincial government and the political agent of Khybar Agency to protect the supply line in the area amid reports that Afghan President Hamid Karzai has renewed his offer of talks to Taliban chief Mullah Omar.

Khyber Agency officials said they had appealed to the federal government to provide more military assistance in view of the Taliban build-up in the area, but no help had been received.

The US military sends 75 per cent of supplies for its troops in Afghanistan through Pakistan, including 40 per cent of fuel used by them.

There are only two major routes for supplies to Afghanistan from the Karachi port -- one via Khyber Pass and the other through Chaman linking the Afghan city of Kandahar.

Both routes have come under attack with dozens of fuel trucks torched this year and four US helicopter engines worth more than $13 million stolen in September. More than 30 fuel tankers have been destroyed in bomb attacks this year.

The vulnerability of routes was further brought home to Nato when Islamabad itself cut off fuel supplies to the western forces in Afghanistan for several days in September in response to a raid by US forces inside Pakistan.

It is reported that Nato has been trying to reach deals with Afghanistan’s other neighbours for alternative supply routes.

Taliban commander Mustafa Kamran Hijrat is reportedly to have stated that his men will continue to seize convoys carrying goods for Nato and American troops. “We are waging a holy war and we shall continue the struggle by every means.”

Hijrat claims to have hundreds of fighters under his command, but local officials estimate his strength at no more than 200 men.