New Delhi: India remains committed to its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan. In response to appeals made by the United Nations for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, the Government of India has decided to gift 50,000 MT of wheat to the people of Afghanistan.
The supply will be provided by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and transported from Attari (India) to Jalalabad (Afghanistan) by Afghan transporters, an official source said.
In a ceremony held in Amritsar on Tuesday, Feb 22, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, along with Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and World Food Program Country Director Bishaw Parajuli, flagged off the first convoy of 50 trucks carrying 2500 MT of wheat assistance from India to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
"The shipment is part of the commitment made by the Government of India to supply 50,000 MT of wheat for the people of Afghanistan. The wheat assistance will be delivered in multiple consignments and will be handed over to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Jalalabad, Afghanistan," the source said.
In this endeavour, India has already supplied 500,000 doses of COVAXIN, 13 tons of essential lifesaving medicines and 500 units of winter clothing. These consignments were handed over to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Kabul's Indira Gandhi Hospital.
"The first batch of 41 Afghan trucks, which entered Pakistan through Torkham, is returning to Afghanistan today (Feb 23) after loading the Indian wheat consignment at Attari-Waga," a Pak foreign office statement said.
"The Government of Pakistan agreed on an exceptional basis to allow the overland transportation of humanitarian assistance of 50,000 MT wheat and lifesaving medicines from India for Afghanistan via Attari-Wagah border up till Torkham," the statement said.
