LAHORE – Pakistan and India have finalised a mechanism for transportationof 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat from New Delhi to Kabul via Wagha Border,it emerged on Saturday.
Reports suggest Pakistan has allowed Afghan trucks and drivers to carrywheat from the Wagah border to Afghanistan.
Now, New Delhi has sent a list of 60 Afghan trucks and their drivers whowill carry the consignment and had asked Pakistan to issue visas to them.
The first consignment of wheat is likely to be sent on February 16 to helpthe people of Afghanistan facing a humanitarian crisis.
Back in December, Foreign Office in a statement said that Pakistan haddecided to also allow the use of Afghan trucks for transportation of 50,000metric tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistanvia Wagah border.
It said that the decision had been taken on an exceptional basis forhumanitarian purposes.
“This demonstrates the commitment and seriousness of the Government ofPakistan to facilitate the proposed humanitarian assistance,” it added.
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FO had conveyed the decision to the Charge d’ Affaires of India at theMinistry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Indian government was also urged to proceed quickly to take necessarysteps to expeditiously undertake the delivery of the humanitarianassistance to Afghanistan,” the statement concluded.
Earlier, Islamabad had proposed the use of Pakistani trucks fortransportation of humanitarian assistance to Kabul under the banner of theUN. However, India tried to spin the matter by spreading misinformation.
Indian also made a counter proposal and suggested that the wheat should beshipped either in Indian or Afghan trucks. Pakistan had allowed the use ofAfghan trucks for the purpose.
