Gandapur visits Afghan Embassy to condole earthquake deaths

Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Ali Amin Gandapur visited the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad on Friday and met Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb to offer condolences over the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan.

Gandapur expressed condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Afghan Ambassador over the loss of human lives in the earthquakes and offered Fatiha for those who had died. He voiced his grief over the tragedy and assured all possible assistance to the victims.

The Afghan Ambassador expressed gratitude to the provincial government and the CM for extending support, saying the Government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Afghan people, and the provincial administration were “sincerely thankful.”

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During the meeting, both sides also discussed matters of mutual interest, regional peace, and the challenges faced by Afghan nationals returning to their homeland. Emphasis was laid on the need for negotiations to achieve sustainable peace in the region and on promoting trade between the two countries.

Gandapur said the K-P government was making every effort to support returning Afghan citizens by providing facilities and addressing their concerns at the provincial level. Issues falling under federal jurisdiction had been raised with the relevant authorities, he added, assuring continued cooperation to ease their return.

“Dialogue is the only way to sustainable peace in the region,” the chief minister said. “The provincial government desires a lasting solution to this longstanding issue through negotiations.” He noted that the federal government had agreed to hold talks with Afghanistan and expressed hope for positive progress.

The chief minister further stressed that eliminating terrorism required creating employment opportunities, adding that promoting cross-border trade could generate jobs in both countries, which was in their mutual interest.

Afghanistan Earthquake

Since August 31, two earthquakes have killed more than 2,200 people and injured over 3,600 across Afghanistan. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, while aftershocks have triggered new landslides, trapping families between unstable mountains and swollen rivers.

The first earthquake, a magnitude 6 tremor, struck at a shallow depth of 10 km (6 miles) in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, causing widespread destruction. A second quake of magnitude 5.5 two days later caused panic, disrupted rescue efforts, and sent rocks sliding down mountains, cutting off roads to remote villages.