Pakistan to send aid to Afghanistan; PM Imran Khan urges other countries to follow suit

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday assured a visiting Afghan delegation headed by Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister, of all possible humanitarian aid including essential food items, emergency medical supplies and winter shelters.

He said his government would provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all Afghans travelling across the border to Pakistan.

“Again I urge the int community to fulfill its collective responsibility to avert a grave humanitarian crisis confronting ppl of Afghanistan,” tweeted Khan.

According to the prime minister, Pakistan has always stood with the Afghan people in their hour of need.

Muttaqi is leading a delegation to Islamabad to discuss bilateral relations including trade. The Taliban-ruled nation is seeking global recognition and wants the unfreezing of its assets.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the talks will specifically focus “on enhanced trade, facilitation of transit trade, cross-border movement, land and aviation links, people-to-people contacts, and regional connectivity".

It is also urging other countries to unfreeze billions of dollars in central bank assets to prevent the economic crisis in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, addressing the opening session of the Troika Plus meeting on Afghanistan, which saw representatives from China, Russia and the US, Qureshi warned the international community that the neighbouring country was on “the brink of an economic collapse.”