Pakistan government on Sunday dispatched 17 trucks loaded with 300 ton edibles to Afghanistan on the humanitarian basis. Briefing media at the at Pak-Afghan border Torkham, Chairman, Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF) Habibullah Khan Khattak, said “Afghans are our Muslim brothers and neighbors and we have centuries old relations with them.”
He said that the 40 years long war in Afghanistan ruined the economy, agriculture and administrative infrastructure of the country and the sudden withdrawal of international aid agencies put the entire population at risk.
Habibullah said, last year’s drought also added to the miseries of Afghan people who were facing humanitarian crisis. The situation can result into a humanitarian catastrophe, if an immediate and effective steps are not taken, he added.
Khattak further said that Pak Afghan Cooperation Forum is a Trust established to assist Afghan population in the hour of need. “We aim not only to provide immediate humanitarian assistance in form of food, medicine and non-food items to the people of Afghanistan, but to help them to stand on their own feet and make their homeland a peaceful, stable and responsible member of global community”, Khattak added.
“Our activities not limited to coordinate all humanitarian assistance but includes procurement, storage, transportation, and distribution of rations, medicine or shelter for the needy people of Afghanistan as well as interact with prospective donors and beneficiaries at organizational and individual levels and undertake any other such assignment that is helpful in rebuilding Afghanistan,” said Khattak. “With the help of various philanthropists and the Government of Pakistan, we have managed to lift 32 tons flour, six tons cooking oil, two tons medicine through C-130.” Khattak said.
Similarly, he said they are dispatching an aid convoy of 17 trucks loaded with a total of 300 tons edible items including 65 tons sugar, three tons pulses, 190 tons flour, 11 tons cooking oil and 31 tons rice. This is the first step towards this noble cause, he said expressing hope that in the coming days they will also provide support in education, health and livelihood.
He said this package is a clear message to people of Afghanistan that the people and Government of Pakistan will never forget them in the difficult times. It is also a message to the world that instead of adopting the policy of ‘wait and see’ they must come forward to help these Afghan people, he said.
He appealed to all philanthropists within Pakistan and across the globe, to come forward and help them through generous donations to avert this humanitarian crisis.
Later, the Consul General of Pakistan at Jalalabad Abidullah and Regional Head Ministry of Industries and Private Sectors Maulvi Mubariz received the edibles.
