Pakistan sends another humanitarian aid consignment to Afghanistan

Pakistan on Saturday dispatched another three trucks, carrying 28 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as part of its efforts to avert humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

The latest consignment was sent under the auspices of Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF) and Save the Children, the global aid agency, via Torkham border crossing.

Landi Kotal Additional Assistant Commissioner Ashrafuddin handed over the relief goods to Deputy Commissioner Afghanistan Molvi Usman at Torkham crossing point.

Earlier this month, Pakistan donated 16 truckloads of relief goods to Afghanistan which were handed over to Afghan Minister for Refugees Haji Khalil Ur Rehman Haqqani and Deputy Minister for IDPs, Pakistan’s Ambassador in Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan had said on Twitter.

Afghanistan's Taliban government is pressing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new migration crisis.

Also read: US announces additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan

Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with the US Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money has been frozen since the Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in August.

A spokesperson for the finance ministry said on Friday that the government would respect human rights, including the education of women, as he sought fresh funds on top of humanitarian aid that he said offered only "small relief".

"The money belongs to the Afghan nation. Just give us our own money," ministry spokesperson Ahmad Wali Haqmal told Reuters. "Freezing this money is unethical and is against all international laws and values."