Mr. Salman Javed, Director General of the Pak-Afghan Youth Forum, briefed on Pakistan’s Assistance to Afghanistan through Aid and Multi-Channels Support Since August 2021 & post-earthquake in an in-house session at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad. Representatives of different think tanks and NGOs attended the session.
The primary purpose of the session was to educate academicians, policy circles, and the development sector about the contribution of Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Since the earthquake created havoc in Afghanistan and had severe implications on its already crippled economy, Pakistan, the brother country, stood by its Afghan brothers in this time of crisis—the briefing aimed to highlight the efforts of Pakistan with on-ground, primary, and factual data.
The session started with a brief introduction about the condition in Afghanistan and the current political scenario unfolding in Afghanistan post-American withdrawal.
Mr. Salman Javed in his briefing mentioned that the aid provided by the Government of Pakistan included: 50,000 food packages, 660 tons of food supplies, 50,000 Metric Tons of Wheat, and 9600 Tents for IDPs, Rs. 0.5 Billion for life-saving medicines, and Rs. One Billion for scholarships.
Moreover, other organizations and NGOs, including the Pakistan-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF), the Al Khidmat Foundation, the Shahid Afridi Foundation, and Muslim Hands, also provided a significant chunk of assistance. However, through Border Crossings, 1,15,000 Afghans were given visas with an average of 400–600 daily.
As a result of which 795,685 pedestrians have entered Pakistan through border terminals, Torkham & Chaman. Free movement of cargo trucks across the border has been allowed. As a response to the Earthquake in Afghanistan, Pakistan opened Ghulam Khan and Angoor Adda Crossing Points. Pakistan implemented emergency in Pakistan’s hospitals, deployed Rescue 1122 teams at border areas, 19 paramedics and doctors, 3 ambulances, and a mobile hospital set up at Khost airport.
The session was concluded after a detailed question and answer session regarding the upcoming strategies and plans. DG PAYF, Mr. Salman Javed ended the session with his concluding remarks.
Highlights of the Session:
