KARACHI, Oct 28: The ministry of communication, on the request of Sindh government, has decided to provide toll-free passage for two weeks on the National Highway and Motorway to goods transport carrying relief goods to earthquake-hit areas.

In this regard, necessary directives have been issued to the chairman of National Highway Authority and IG Motorway and National Highway Police.

In a meeting called by Sindh Transport Minister Adil Siddiqi with goods transport companies, the transporters had mentioned the recovery of toll tax at Highways and Motorways from Karachi to Islamabad, the NWFP and Azad Kashmir as the ground for an increase in their transportation charges.

The minister immediately contacted the Federal Communication Minister Shamim Siddiqi and requested for toll-free passage to carriers with relief goods and the same was approved.

The communication ministry has issued directives to the highway and motorway authorities to cooperate with carriers transporting relief goods.

Sindh transport department has directed all such companies, which are transporting relief goods to earthquake affected areas, to obtain a certificate from concerned government organization or district coordination officer (DCO) with regard to transportation of relief goods on the basis of which they would be exempted from paying toll tax in any area in the NWFP and Azad Kashmir.—APP