PM Imran orders urgent shipment of Rs5 billion supplies to Afghanistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered immediate shipment of Rs5 billion humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. 

The package for the war-ravaged country includes wheat, emergency medical supplies, winter shelters and other supplies.

He gave these instructions while chairing the first Apex Committee meeting during his visit to the newly established Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell in Islamabad on Monday. He instructed all ministries to facilitate Afghans to the maximum and approved in-principle tariff and sales tax reduction on key Afghan exports to Pakistan.

Khan ordered free COVID vaccine for all Afghans entering Pakistan from land borders and announced Pakistan’s decision to allow the 50,000 metric tons of wheat India has offered to Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan.

National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf, who is also convener of the AICC, made a detailed presentation to brief the civil and military leadership on the current economic situation in Afghanistan and the progress made by the AICC in coordinating national efforts for humanitarian assistance and border facilitation for Afghans.

The prime minister said that bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad be revived to facilitate travellers on both sides. To further facilitate Afghans, the visa duration will be relaxed such that visas are granted within three weeks at the most. He took the opportunity to remind the international community of the collective responsibility to support Afghanistan to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister instructed the National Security Adviser to visit Afghanistan to hold delegation level talks and agree on specific areas where immediate capacity building support shall be provided to Afghans.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and senior civil and military officers.