Pakistan dispatches relief goods to Afghan flood victims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has dispatched humanitarian assistance and relief goods through a special flight to the flood-affected people of eastern Afghanistan.

Addressing a ceremony in connection with the delivery of relief goods to Afghanistan at Nur Khan Airbase, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Pakistan shares the grief of Afghan people and stands in solidarity with them in these difficult times.

The relief assistance includes tents, blankets, clothing items, cooking oil and sugar. He said our relief efforts are a humble testament to the fraternal bonds that exist between the two countries.

The foreign minister called upon the international community to also step up its relief efforts to support the Afghan people who have been faced with one calamity after another.

He said the international community cannot abandon the people of Afghanistan in these difficult times. He said Pakistan has been advocating at all levels that the international community must engage with Afghanistan to avoid its economic collapse. Bilawal said Pakistan desires a peaceful, stable, prosperous and connected Afghanistan.

Earlier, a Pakistani delegation led by Secretary Commerce Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui visited Kabul from July 18-20 and discussed bilateral trade relations.

The delegation held meetings with ministers and senior officials of relevant Afghan ministries including Acting Minister of Commerce Nooruddin Azizi, and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on multiple measures to ensure early clearance and free movement of bilateral trade traffic, improve efficiency in goods clearance and launch a luxury bus services between the two countries by end of next month.

The visit was aimed to discuss mutual actions for enhancing bilateral, trade, transit and connectivity and taking necessary trade facilitation measures to address the obstacles being faced by traders from both sides.

During the discussions, the two sides underscored to sustain momentum on growth in bilateral and transit trade. It was agreed to make border crossing points more efficient to ensure early clearance of trade traffic.

The two sides agreed to implement Temporary Admission Document (TAD) allowing free movement of vehicles and prevent loading and unloading of goods at border crossing points.

They also agreed to increase operational timings at all crossing points, particularly Torkham, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan and Chaman/Spin Boldak.

The two sides agreed to make efforts to launch luxury bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad and Quetta and Kandahar by end of August this year.

It was also agreed that the difficulties in visa processing would be addressed. The two sides also reaffirmed to maintain regular coordination to expand economic cooperation.

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