Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Amid worsening bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan—and their armies’ frequent clashes along the troubled borders—the Taliban-ruled Kabul has refused to accept the aid Islamabad wanted to provide to the victims of a series of recent earthquakes that rocked the landlocked country.
The Pakistani media reported on Friday that the Taliban refused Pakistani aid and also denied clearance to its consignment and rescue teams.
The most devastating earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale, struck Afghanistan on Saturday last, leaving at least 1,000 people dead, wounding thousands, and affecting many villages. Another major temblor hit the mountainous country on Wednesday, leaving more people dead and damaging properties.
Following these quakes, Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar announced sending rescue and relief teams along with essential aid. However, the consignment and rescuers were not dispatched to Afghanistan after Kabul refused to give clearance.
Although there was no official word from either side, the current tension between the two countries seemed to be the main reason for the Afghan rejection, the media reported.
Since the earthquake hit Herat province, which was close to Iran, it was, in any case, not possible for Pakistan to send its teams and goods due to logistic reasons.
Another factor was seen as the lack of capacity by the Afghan officials to distribute the aid that already reached Afghanistan by the international community.
Further complicating their bilateral relationship was Pakistan’s recent series of ‘anti-Kabul’ moves, such as the deportation of all illegal Afghan immigrants, a visa policy for Afghans, and restrictions imposed on Afghan imports.
At a weekly news briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan expressed deep sympathy with its Afghan “brothers and sisters, as they face a very difficult situation following the earthquake that took place a few days ago.”
“Pakistan also stands in solidarity with its Afghan brothers and sisters and remains in contact with the Interim Afghan Government to meet any needs that they may have during the relief and recovery efforts,” she added without further sharing details as to why Pakistan did not dispatch aid to the neighboring country yet.