0
0
0
0
India’s move to send 1.6 tonnes of life-saving medicines to Afghanistan has drawn praise from the Taliban at a time when Pakistan continues to create hurdles in the shipment of wheat offered by the Indian side via the Wagah land border crossing.
Taliban deputy spokesperson Ahmadullah Wasiq tweeted in Pashto that important medical equipment would also be brought in from India and made available to hospitals. In another tweet, he added: “India is a leading country in the region. Afghanistan-India relations are very vital.”
Abdul Kahar Balkhi, the spokesperson of the Taliban’s foreign ministry, said on Twitter: “We appreciate the arrival of…Indian-assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul.” He added the charter flight operated by Kam Air had brought back 85 Afghan nationals who were stuck in India and this “travel process will continue”.
Afghan ambassador Farid Mamundzay said the “life-saving medicines will help many families in this difficult time”.
The consignment of medicines was the first tranche of humanitarian aid provided by India since the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban. The Indian side does not recognise the Taliban regime but has repeatedly said it will provide aid to the Afghan people against the backdrop of a looming humanitarian crisis.
India’s offer to provide 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistani land routes, however, has been hamstrung by conditions attached to the move by Islamabad, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. On December 3, Pakistan said it would allow wheat and medicines to be shipped via the Wagah land border crossing in Afghan trucks.
