KARACHI: A C-130 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force landed at Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Thursday, carrying relief goods for the people of the country.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan received the humanitarian supplies at the Hamid Karzai International Airport and handed over to the Afghan officials.
While speaking to media, the ambassador said the relief goods included around 10 ton of flour, 1.5 ton of ghee and a huge quantity of emergency medicine.
“With first such flight, this is just a beginning of the humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan, as more would be carried out in coming days,” he said.
The envoy said that two more C-130 flights carrying relief goods would be arranged for Kandahar and Khost on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
He said the activity would continue for weeks and months and Pakistan’s public and private sectors and the charity organizations would be sending humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan in a systematic way. Beside air routes, he said, the goods would be transported through Pakistan’s land routes including Torkham and Chaman as well.
The Foreign Office in a statement said, “The Government of Pakistan will continue to do its best to help Afghan brethren during the prevalent challenging environment.”.
Pakistan has consistently been urging the international community to help avert the economic collapse and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan after the fall of the Ashraf Ghani government. The landlocked country has been cut off from the rest of the world for almost a month after the collapse of the previous government.
Pakistan reaffirms support
Pakistan has expressed hope that the new political set-up will work for peace and security in Afghanistan and address its people’s humanitarian needs.
In the first official comment on the government announced by the Taliban, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad in a statement said they continue to closely follow the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
The spokesperson said we have noted the latest announcement about formation of interim political set-up in Kabul, which would address the requirement of a governance structure to meet the urgent needs of the people of Afghanistan.
He expressed hope that the new political dispensation will ensure coordinated efforts for peace, security and stability in Afghanistan as well as work towards taking care of humanitarian and development needs of the Afghan people.
“We hope that the new political dispensation will ensure coordinated efforts for peace, security and stability in Afghanistan as well as work towards taking care of humanitarian and development needs of the Afghan people,” the statement added.
He reaffirmed its abiding commitment to a peaceful, stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan. The Taliban announced their much-awaited interim government weeks after they swept to power and toppled the US-backed president.
