ISLAMABAD: The government has approved a donation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan in the absence of any major assistance from the world community for the cash-starved neighbour.
Pakistan has earlier granted a one-time approval for India to send wheat aid to Afghanistan. It has now matched a similar offer but the delivery of the Indian wheat remained pending because of the non-resolution of logistic issues between Islamabad and New Delhi.
The Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet on Monday approved the proposal for the donation of 50,000 Metric Tons of wheat to Afghanistan. The meeting presided over by Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan also recommended relaxation of ban on exporting wheat/wheat flour to Afghanistan.
Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Abdul Razak Dawood Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries & Production and Investment, Federal Secretaries and other senior officers participated in the meeting.
The ECC considered the summary submitted by the Ministry of National Food Security & Research approved the proposal for the donation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan. ECC further directed the Finance Division to provide funds for the purpose on an actual cost basis.
The ECC also recommended relaxation of the ban on the export of wheat/wheat flour to Afghanistan to the extent of the instant proposal with the direction that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research may inform the Federal Cabinet of the ratio for mixing of local and imported wheat in case export of wheat flour is required.
Pakistan has promised to stand with the Afghan people. Prime Minister Imran Khan also announced Rs5 billion in aid for Afghanistan during an Apex Committee meeting of the Afghan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC).
This included a donation of 50,000 metric tons of wheat worth about Rs2.5 billion, according to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. The ECC was informed that Pakistan had sufficient stocks available to provide the commodity to the neighbouring country.
