A powerful earthquake has heaped more miseries on the conflict ridden Afghanistan.At least one thousand people have reportedly been killed whilst fifteen hundred others wounded in the calamity which is being dubbed as the deadliest in decades.
With a handful of resources, the new Afghan setup is finding it difficult to provide immediate response to the catastrophe.
Showing once again goodwill and openheartedness towards the Afghan people, Pakistan has immediately sent relief goods to the neighbouring country.
We will also ask our Government to also help the Afghan Government in carrying out the rescue activities.
Since the Afghan region close to Pakistani border has been struck by the quake, a medical camp can also be established on the border to provide immediate medical treatment to those injured.
It is also for the international community to come in a big manner to extend assistance to the misery ridden Afghan people.
Pakistan can provide both land and air corridor to other countries to supply their relief goods to the affected population.
Rather the willing countries can purchase necessary items from Pakistani markets for onward supply.
Millions of Afghan people are already facing increasing hunger and poverty and health system is also in dire strait ever since the Taliban retook power nearly ten months ago amidst the US and NATO withdrawal.
According to the UN estimates, ninety three percent of households in Afghanistan suffer food insecurity.
Sanctions on Afghanistan’s banking sector as well as drying its development aid worth billions of dollars is only further complicating the situation for Afghanistan.
If the western countries did not show flexibility and review its position, the situation in Afghanistan can get further worse.
Apart from extending immediate aid to avoid loss of more lives, they should also engage with the Taliban authorities to move forward on important matters.
The country’s frozen asset must be released besides as aid pledges made earlier by different countries at different platforms must translate into actual receipt so that the Afghan authorities could undertake relief and rehabilitation work in the calamity hit areas as well as better cope with the humanitarian crisis.
Inaction will only result in more inflows of refugees into Pakistan. Already over the last few months, the burden of Afghan refugees on us has increased.
For the sake of Afghan people, sanctions should be lifted, allowing country to develop economic relations.
This is only way through which the miseries of Afghan people can be brought to an end on a permanent basis.
