Pakistan and India have agreed to a mechanism for transportation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat from New Delhi to Afghanistan via Wagah Border. According to sources privy to the details of the arrangement in the Foreign Office, Pakistan has allowed Afghan trucks and drivers to carry wheat from India to Afghanistan.

“India has handed over a list of 60 Afghan trucks and their drivers who will carry the consignment and had asked Pakistan to issue visas to them,” they said and added that India would start supplying wheat from February 16.

The first consignment of the Indian wheat will be transported to Afghanistan by February end. In November 2021, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced an Rs5 billion humanitarian aid for Afghanistan besides allowing transit of Indian wheat to the neighbouring country.

The decisions were taken during the apex committee meeting on Afghanistan headed by the prime minister and attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and federal ministers.

Imran Khan had directed National Security Adviser Mooed Yusuf to visit Afghanistan and hold talks with the officials there for devising a mechanism for the supply of humanitarian aid.

A day later the federal cabinet also approved transit to shipment of 50,000 metric tons of wheat provided by India to Afghanistan to avert any humanitarian crisis.