As hundreds of thousands of Afghans reel from displacement and uncertainty following the Taliban takeover, the collapse of the former government, and the exit of the international forces, the World Food Program is thanking Pakistan for its help in taking humanitarian supplies to the landlocked country.
The WFP executive director said the Pakistan government “really helped” them in the repair of the planes damaged in Kabul to put them back in service, and establishing a “humanitarian air bridge” to the war-hit country of Afghanistan.
David Beasley, who also called on Prime Minister Imran Khan, wrote in a Twitter post:
“Our damaged planes from Kabul have been repaired, and the WFP is now ready to establish a humanitarian air bridge between Islamabad-Kabul and other destinations in Afghanistan.”
“This will allow us to scale up to meet the needs of the Afghan people,” he added.
According to the United Nations, there are more than half a million internal Afghan refugees needing urgent humanitarian assistance after they were displaced during the fighting between the Taliban and the former Kabul government.
He said the WFP was helping to evacuate passengers, UN personnel, and other humanitarian workers from Afghanistan.
“With all the devastation inside Afghanistan, we want to do what we can to bring life back to normal and give hope to people in desperation right now,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s Office said. Imran Khan applauded the agency’s work in delivering food assistance in emergencies and for working with nations worldwide to improve nutrition and build resilience.
Pakistan facilitated the talks between the US and the Afghan Talian that led to the conclusion of the 2020 deal on withdrawal of American and NATO troops. President Biden advanced the withdrawal deadline to August 31. The US and international partners are in the midst of evacuation from Kabul after the Hamid Karzi government surrendered to the advancing Taliban in the middle of the month.
Prime Minister Khan believes the formation of an inclusive government and positive engagement of the international community will be critical to averting a large-scale humanitarian crisis and secure peace and stability in its western neighbor.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees since the 1980s when the US and Pakistan help the Afghan Mujahideen to oust the Soviet Union from Afghanistan.
