Following intense speculation over the past few weeks about how Islamabad will respond to India’s proposal to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday announced its government will allow India to carry 50,000 MT wheat to Afghanistan through land routes “as so modalities are resolved with Indian side “.
ToI first reported on October 19 that India wants to send 50,000 mt wheat to Afghanistan, where the upcoming winter threatens to worsen the acute food crisis, and is related to Pakistan for this issue.
The announcement of PM Khan and his office attended a meeting of the Afghan inter-minister coordination cell in Pakistan chaired by PM.
At the meeting, Pakistan also announced its own humanitarian aid package which included 50,000 tons of wheat and medical supply.
“This is a welcome development.
If India and Pakistan can find a pragmatic way to facilitate their interface in Afghanistan, it will be a step forward for both, for Afghanistan and for regional cooperation,” said TCA Raghavan, former Indian high commissioner and former to Pakistan.India has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to have access without obstacles and without obstacles to humanitarian assistance.
Khan also announced that Pakistan would facilitate the return of Afghan patients who had gone to India for medical care and stuck there.
Although there was no direct response by India for development, the source said India would wait for official communication.
Pakistani’s announcement came a little more than 6 weeks after India proposed wheat delivery through the Attari-Wagah border.
If Pakistan does allow wheat land transportation to Afghanistan, it will be a change from 2002 – when it has rejected the same proposal by India in a similar situation even though at that time Afghan President Hamid Karzai had repeatedly taken problems with Islamabad.
There are few indications so far India and Pakistan work together to handle situations that appear in Afghanistan.
Pakistan NSA Moeed Yusuf has refused to participate in the Indian Afghan conference earlier this month and, on Sunday, he was quoted by Pakistani media as describing PM Narendra Modi as “the most fascist leader” since Hitler.
Significantly, the Taliban discussed the proposed wheat with Khan during the final visit of Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan.
PM Khan said after the meeting that Pakistan would well consider the proposed delivery of Indian wheat.
After India officially offered assistance to the Taliban in a meeting at the Margin of Moscow format talks, the Taliban Ambassador – referred to the United Nations, Suhail Shaheen, has told TI Government in Kabul ready to receive assistance from India and also to accept India Diplomats, along with those from Other countries, back in Kabul.
Pakistan confirms: will allow wheat transit to Afghanistan
