JALALABAD (SW) – The first batch of 50,000 tonnes of wheat donated by India for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which has been the subject of controversy with Pakistan for some time, has finally arrived at Torkham town of Nangarhar province.
A number of Islamic Emirate officials had come to Torkham to receive the aid.
Receiving the aid, Maulvi Sharafuddin, Deputy Minister for Disaster Preparedness, said the first batch of 2,500 tonnes of wheat was loaded in 42 trucks and handed over to them in Torkham today. He added that the remaining wheat would soon be shipped to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
At the handover ceremony, Foreign Ministry Representative Maulvi Ahmad thanked India for its assistance and called for more humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
He also said that the Islamic Emirate should be assisted in its recognition. “People are grateful for this assistance and say that the international community should increase its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan”.
Shah Zada, a resident of Nangarhar, said the current economic situation in Afghanistan was worrying and the international community needed to provide more humanitarian assistance.
Four-and-a-half months after India proposed to Pakistan that it wants to send wheat for the people of Afghanistan, the first consignment of about 2,000 metric tonnes of the grain, laden in about 50 trucks, roll out on Tuesday.
This was a significant diplomatic development where India and Pakistan are coming together to help the people of Afghanistan. India doesn’t recognise the Taliban regime in Kabul, reported the Indian Express.
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