Chairing assembly of committee on Afghan help, Prime Minister Imran Khan additionally authorises transit of Indian meals help.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has introduced greater than $28m medical, meals and different humanitarian help for Afghanistan, whereas additionally authorising the transport of meals help from India by means of Pakistan to Afghanistan, his workplace says.
Khan met his nation’s military chief Basic Qamar Javed Bajwa and prime authorities officers, together with the overseas minister, finance minister and nationwide safety adviser, within the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Monday.
“[The PM] ordered a direct cargo of in-kind humanitarian help value 5 billion Pakistani rupees [roughly $28.4m], which is able to comprise meals commodities together with 50,000 [metric tonnes] of wheat, emergency medical provides, winter shelters and different provides,” an announcement launched following the assembly mentioned.
The Pakistani authorities can even cut back tariffs and gross sales tax on sure Afghan exports to Pakistan, the assertion mentioned.
Khan’s workplace mentioned that it will enable 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat provided by India as humanitarian help to Afghanistan “to undergo Pakistan as quickly as modalities are finalised with the Indian facet”.
The help had been provided earlier this month, and on November 11, the Indian overseas ministry mentioned it had been dealing with obstacles in accessing Afghanistan.
“[W]e have been trying on the prospects, however there have been difficulties as a consequence of lack of unimpeded entry,” mentioned Indian overseas ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi.
Pakistan says it should additionally facilitate the return of Afghans looking for medical therapy in India who had been stranded there because the Taliban takeover of Pakistan’s northwestern neighbour in August.
A delegation of Afghan well being officers is because of go to Islamabad for talks with Pakistani counterparts on Pakistani humanitarian help, the assertion mentioned.
High US delegation visits
Additionally on Monday, a delegation of two senior US congressmen – US Home International Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks and International Affairs Asia sub-committee Chairman Ami Bera – held talks in Islamabad with the Pakistani prime minister, overseas minister and different officers.
Of their assembly, Khan reiterated the Pakistani place that there was a necessity to have interaction with the Taliban authorities in Kabul to avert a possible humanitarian catastrophe, his workplace mentioned in an announcement.
“The Prime Minister additionally hoped that methods and means could be discovered to handle the liquidity subject and allow banking channels to assist Afghanistan maintain its instant financial burden and challenges,” the assertion mentioned, referring to greater than $9.5bn in Afghan central financial institution reserves that stay frozen by the US.
A short US Home International Affairs committee assertion confirmed the go to and the 2 congressmen’s conferences.
“Whereas in Pakistan, the delegation conveyed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts in help of the evacuation of Americans and lawful everlasting residents from Afghanistan, and exchanged views on a variety of points together with counter terrorism, the continued humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, local weather change and commerce,” mentioned the US assertion.
Asad Hashim is Al Jazeera’s digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim.