Pak-Afghan trade limited to food and medicines

Supply of food items from Iran to four border districts of Balochistan permitted

ISLAMABAD: Cargo movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been limited to food and medicines only amid the coronavirus outbreak and that too only thrice a week following the guidelines issued by the health ministry.

The participants of a meeting held at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19 on Friday were also informed that the supply of food items from Iran to four border districts of Balochistan had also been permitted.

Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, told the participants that Pakistanis who wanted to return from Afghanistan would have to undergo testing and complete their quarantine period.

He further said a strategy to deal with the pandemic in the coming days would be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 12 for its approval by the National Coordination Committee the next day.

Health Minister Dr Zafar Mirza briefed the meeting about measures to enhance the present testing capacity.



The participants of the meeting expressed their satisfaction over the improvement in the recovery rate of Covid-19 patients.

They noted that the number of cases in the country was less than the estimates and that was a positive development.

During the meeting, a plan of action prepared by the Pakistan Engineering Council in coordination with a clinical study committee for the indigenous production of ventilators was also presented.

Diplomatic channels are also being moved for the provision of ventilators and other medical equipment.

Umar stressed the need to synergise all efforts through a one-window operation. “While we endeavour for indigenous production, the focus concurrently should be on procurement through commercial channels from abroad,” he added.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar, Energy Minister Omar Ayub, Economic Affairs Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, National Food Security Minister Fakhar Imam, Adviser to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and Special Assistant to the PM on National Security Moeed Yusuf among others.

On Wednesday, Pakistan had announced its decision to allow the movement of cargo trucks and containers to cross over into Afghanistan thrice a week starting from Friday on the neighbouring country’s request.

“Responding to Afghanistan government’s special request, and based on humanitarian considerations, it has been decided to facilitate the movement of cargo trucks and containers to cross over into Afghanistan through Torkham and Chaman border crossing points thrice a week (on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) from 10 April 2020 onwards,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui.