Goodwill gesture: PM orders planeload of wheat for Kunduz

City facing food shortage due to fighting between Taliban, govt forces

ISLAMABAD:

In a bid to defuse current tensions in ties with Afghanistan, Pakistan will provide wheat stock to the people of Kunduz who are facing food shortages following recent fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban in the northern Afghan city.

According to an official statement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Foreign Office to arrange for transportation of a planeload of wheat stock to the neighbouring country.

“This measure is being taken as a goodwill gesture on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan for the returning residents of Kunduz facing severe food shortages after the Taliban retreat from the city,” the statement said.

The move comes at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been marred by a growing trust-deficit between them. A Foreign Office official said the government’s decision to help the Afghan brethren was aimed at sending a clear message that Pakistan was all for peace and stability in the war-torn country.

Islamabad is reaching out to Kabul despite recent allegations by some Afghan officials that a Pakistani security agency had helped the Taliban take over the strategically important Kunduz city. Pakistan has strongly rebutted the allegations and instead condemned the Taliban move.

Growing instability in Afghanistan will be one of the major agenda items during talks between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President Barack Obama in Washington today (Thursday).

Officials in Pakistan hope some progress will be made regarding possible resumption of the stalled Afghan reconciliation process. Pakistan is insisting that negotiation is the only way forward for ending the 13-year-long conflict in Afghanistan.

In July, Islamabad brokered the first-ever direct meeting between the Afghan government and the Taliban in an unprecedented development renewing hopes for a peace deal. However, the second round of talks was called off after the confirmation of death of the Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar.


Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2015.