Pakistan and India secured an agreement on Friday to export 50,000 metric tons of wheat to Afghanistan across the Wagah border, with Afghan vehicles carrying the cargo.
Previously, Islamabad offered that wheat be carried through Pakistani trucks under the UN banner, based on protocols. New Delhi, on the other hand, proposed that the wheat be transported by Afghan or Indian vehicles.
Pakistan first rejected India’s plan to use Indian trucks, but after further study, decided to allow Afghan vehicles to be used instead.
“It has been decided to allow the use of Afghan trucks for transportation from Wagah border to Torkham in order to further facilitate Pakistan’s decision to allow transportation of 50,000 MT of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“This demonstrates the commitment and seriousness of the Government of Pakistan to facilitate the proposed humanitarian assistance,” the statement added.
The verdict was sent to India’s Charge d’ Affaires at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. The Indian government was also encouraged to move promptly to take the required procedures to begin delivering humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as soon as possible.
According to diplomatic sources, both parties achieved an agreement in order to assist the Afghan people, who are in critical need of assistance.
Before humanitarian aid begins to flow to Afghanistan through India, Pakistan is awaiting an official answer from New Delhi.
