ISLAMABAD – A group of Afghan Taliban fighters was spotted insulting the Pakistani national flag attached to the side of a truck carrying humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan at a crossing point.
A viral video shows the men, who wearing civil clothes and carrying guns, violently remove the flag from the truck. One of them can be seen insulting the flag while others are chanting celebratory slogans.
Video footage just released shows #Afghanistan Taliban soldiers rushing to remove the flag of #Pakistan from the truck carrying humanitarian aid provided by Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/TlMltKGdgN
— Pakistan Observer (@pakobserver) September 21, 2021
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August and Pakistan was among the countries which are urging the world to send humanitarian aid to the war-torn country in order to avoid any civil war.
On Sunday, 17 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, sent by Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF), on behalf of the Pakistan government, crossed into Afghanistan.
Briefing media at Pak-Afghan border Torkham, PACF chairman Habibullah Khan Khattak, said “Afghans are our Muslim brothers and neighbors and we have centuries old relations with them.”
He said that the 40 years long war in Afghanistan ruined the economy, agriculture and administrative infrastructure of the country and the sudden withdrawal of international aid agencies put the entire population at risk.
Habibullah said, last year’s drought also added to the miseries of Afghan people who were facing humanitarian crisis.
The situation can result into a humanitarian catastrophe, if an immediate and effective steps are not taken, he added. Khattak further said that Pak Afghan Cooperation Forum is a Trust established to assist Afghan population in the hour of need.
On September 8, Pakistan announced to dispatch humanitarian assistance comprising food and medicines for the people of Afghanistan.
The Foreign Office in a statement said that three C-130s will be dispatched to Afghanistan. After the first immediate tranche through air, further supplies would continue through land routes.
Pakistan would continue to do its best to help Afghan brethren during the prevalent challenging environment.
Pakistan had also urged the international community to play its role in helping the people of Afghanistan to avert possible humanitarian crisis.
