Assisting Afghanistan

In a bid to aid the Afghan government and its people amid unfolding humanitarian crises, Pakistan has dispatched humanitarian assistance and relief goods — including tents, blankets and cooking items — via a special flight to flood-affected people in eastern Afghanistan. Apart from lending a helping hand, this is an attempt on part of the Pakistani government to build bridges with its war-torn neighbour. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has explicitly stated, “Our relief efforts are a humble testament to the fraternal bonds that exist between the two countries.”

The people of Afghanistan had not yet come to terms with the removal of US troops and a new cadre at the helm when the country was first struck by a massive 5.9 magnitude earthquake and was then hit with severe flash floods. The earthquake killed over a thousand people while floods have taken at least 39 innocent lives. It truly feels like their miseries are unending. The Taliban government is faced with a nightmarish situation as the economy remains under immense stress and the international community is refusing to acknowledge them. It is egregious that international champions of human rights such as the US and EU have blatantly turned their backs on the suffering masses of Afghanistan. There is time for politics and then there is time for humanity, and the current situation calls for international stakeholders to put their differences aside and step up relief efforts for the 39-million-strong population.

Pakistan has relentlessly advocated for the country at all international levels as a stable Afghanistan will bring strength and prosperity to the overall region. Efforts by Pakistani officials have also come at a crucial juncture following recent three-day talks with Kabul to address border challenges. Both countries aim to enhance bilateral trade and address problems faced by traders, and have therefore agreed to resume the “Dosti bus service” that had been suspended for the past 5 years. These efforts will indeed go a long way in helping people in need and strengthening the alliance between the two countries, which in turn can also help them thwart internal and external threats.

While NGOs such as the UN and International Rescue Committee are doing their part by providing emergency relief to different parts of the country, it is about time that First World countries, especially the US, step up and streamline funding for Afghanistan to uphold and prioritise human dignity above all else.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2022.

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