Pakistan allows India's wheat shipment for Afghanistan on 'exceptional basis'

Islamabad, Nov 24: Pakistan government on Wednesday allowed the transportation of 50,000 tonne of wheat from India to Afghanistan as a goodwill gesture towards the brotherly Afghan people.

"As a goodwill gesture towards the brotherly Afghan people, the Government of Pakistan has decided to allow the transportation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah Border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes," Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

"The decision of the Government of Pakistan to this effect was formally conveyed to the Charge d'Affaires of India at the ministry of foreign affairs today," it added.

The statement comes two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that his government will allow India to send a humanitarian shipment of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to neighbouring Afghanistan through its territory after finalisation of the transit modalities.

Khan announced Pakistan's decision to allow the 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat India has offered to provide Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan as soon as modalities are finalised with the Indian side, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

Currently, Pakistan only allows Afghanistan to export goods to India but doesn't allow any other two-way trade through the border crossing.

Last month, India announced 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat for Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance and requested Pakistan to ship the food grain via the Wagah border.

India has contributed to the humanitarian requirements of the Afghan people. This included providing more than 1 million metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan over the past decade.

However, there were reports that Pakistan has blocked India's efforts to provide wheat to the Afghan people, amidst the chill in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kashmir issue.