KABUL: Afghanistan has welcomed Islamabad’s decision to allow the use of Afghan trucks for transporting Indian wheat to the war-torn country after crossing into Pakistan via Wagah border and travelling to Torkham, which borders the Afghan province of Nangarhar.
On Friday, Pakistan and India reached a compromise on the mode of transportation of wheat donated by the latter to Afghanistan. According to details, Afghan trucks would carry 50,000 metric tonnes and lifesaving medicines from India on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan informed Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the decision during a meeting with him.
Later, Afghan foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi tweeted that the meeting focused on enhancing “trade and facilitating the transport of Indian-assisted wheat to Afghanistan”. He said Muttaqi had thanked Pakistan for allowing the use of Afghan-owned vehicles for transporting the wheat.
The Pakistani Ambassador said the PAK government will allow the Indian assisted wheat to be shipped to Afghanistan by Afghan-owned vehicles. Minister Muttaqi thanked the Pakistan government for this initiative.
— Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) December 4, 2021
Earlier in October this year, an Indian delegation had met leaders from the Taliban government in Afghanistan on the sidelines of Moscow-format consultations in Russia and asked them to request Islamabad to allow the passage of Indian wheat to Afghanistan through the land route in Pakistan.
Muttaqqi had then raised the issue during his visit to Islamabad in November and Prime Minister Imran Khan had assured him that Islamabad would “favourably” consider the request.
Earlier, Islamabad, as per modalities, had proposed that the wheat should be transported through Pakistani trucks under the banner of the UN. But New Delhi made a counter proposal, suggesting the wheat be carried either by Afghan or Indian trucks.
Pakistan rejected the Indian proposal of using the Indian trucks but after consideration, agreed to allow Afghan trucks for the purpose.
“With a view to further facilitate Pakistan’s decision to allow transportation of 50,000MT of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via the Wagah border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes, it has been decided to also allow the use of Afghan trucks for transportation from Wagah border to Torkham,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.
Diplomatic sources said Pakistani trucks might end up transporting the wheat to Afghanistan and India proposed that the shipment should be carried out either by Afghan trucks or arranged by them. This leaves a window for the Afghans to give contracts to Pakistani trucks.
