ISLAMABAD, : Pakistan and India have agreed to a mechanism
for transportation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat from New Delhi to
Afghanistan via Wagha Border.
According to sources privy to the details of the arrangement in the
Foreign Office, Pakistan has allowed Afghan trucks and drivers to carry
wheat from India to Afghanistan.
“India has handed over a list of 60 Afghan trucks and their drivers who
will carry the consignment and had asked Pakistan to issue visas to
them,” they said and added that India would start supplying wheat from
February 16.
The first consignment of the Indian wheat will be transported to
Afghanistan by February end.
In November 2021, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced an Rs5 billion
humanitarian aid for Afghanistan besides allowing transit of Indian
wheat to the neighbouring country.
The decisions were taken during the apex committee meeting on
Afghanistan headed by the prime minister and attended by Chief of Army
Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and federal ministers.
Imran Khan directed National Security Adviser Mooed Yusuf to visit
Afghanistan and hold talks with the officials there for devising a
mechanism for the supply of humanitarian aid.
A day later the federal cabinet also approved transit to shipment of
50,000 metric tons of wheat provided by India to Afghanistan to avert
any humanitarian crisis.