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ISLAMABAD – Afghanistan’s Taliban have blocked earthquake-related aid help from Pakistan over a controversial social media submit by the nation’s prime minister amid an already strained bilateral relationship, VOA discovered Thursday from extremely positioned official sources.
A senior Taliban official, talking on situation of anonymity whereas not being licensed to debate the matter publicly, confirmed that Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s submit on X (previously Twitter) was behind their refusal to just accept the help.
The controversy began after a robust 6.3-magnitude quake struck elements of the western Afghan province of Herat. Islamabad instantly introduced it will urgently dispatch a transport airplane loaded with 5,000 winterized tents, 15,000 blankets, meals objects, medical provides and a staff of medical docs for victims of the lethal calamity.
The Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Authority ready the consignment, sharing particulars on its official web site. Hours later, Kakar claimed in a submit on X that the help was being dispatched on the request of the Taliban authorities, though Kabul has thus far formally not requested overseas nations to ship aid.
Kakar additionally posted inaccurate particulars of the objects his authorities had deliberate to ship to Afghanistan.
‘I’ve instructed @NDMAPk to ship most assist to the affected,’ the prime minister wrote, including, ‘Afghanistan authorities has particularly requested for sending medical staff, area hospital, 50 tents and 500 blankets. … all of the requested objects are being dispatched within the afternoon right this moment, with extra aid items to comply with,’ Kakar added.
However the Pakistani airplane has since not taken off, and neither aspect has formally cited causes for the delay.
‘Though no such request was made and our authorities was ridiculed for it,’ the Taliban official mentioned in written feedback shared by way of a Whatsapp messaging platform when requested about their refusal to just accept Pakistani help. He criticized Kakar’s assertion as ‘irresponsible’ and suggested the Pakistani chief to be extraordinarily cautious whereas issuing statements about Afghanistan.
A prime Pakistani official aware of the matter questioned the Taliban assertions when requested to clarify why Islamabad couldn’t ship the aid items to Afghanistan.
‘Kabul neither says sure nor a no; they’ve made a proper request for help and instructed us that they are going to tell us when to ship,’ the official mentioned. He spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not allowed to work together with the media publicly.
Afghan individuals affected by the earthquake attempt to shelter of their tent throughout a strong sandstorm, after an earthquake in Zenda Jan district in Herat province, western of Afghanistan, Oct. 12, 2023.
Earlier on Thursday, the Pakistani International Ministry spokesperson, at her weekly information convention, averted immediately commenting on the controversy when requested for progress on sending Afghan aid help.
‘Pakistan expresses deep sympathy with its Afghan brothers and sisters, as they face a really tough scenario following the earthquake that passed off a number of days in the past,’ Mumtaz Zahra Baloch mentioned.
‘Pakistan additionally stands in solidarity with its Afghan brothers and sisters and stays in touch with the interim Afghan authorities to fulfill any wants they might have through the aid and restoration efforts,’ she added.
Relations between the 2 neighboring nations have been strained over allegations that militants sheltering on Afghan soil are accountable for a dramatic uptick in lethal assaults in Pakistan for the reason that Taliban seized energy two years in the past, fees Kabul rejects.
Tensions elevated after the Pakistani authorities gave all foreigners, together with an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, a one-month deadline to depart or face deportation after November 1.
Taliban leaders have severely criticized the choice and repeatedly urged Pakistan to evaluation it, warning it might ‘severely harm’ bilateral ties.
Nevertheless, spokesperson Baloch reiterated Thursday that Islamabad was decided to implement the coverage to ensure people overstaying their visas or possessing no documentation depart Pakistan. She mentioned the deportation could be accomplished orderly and according to native immigration legal guidelines.
‘This requirement pertains to all nationalities and isn’t particular to any nationality. … There are totally different prescriptions inside these legal guidelines, together with deportation. This course of can be accomplished in a phased and orderly method.’
Pakistan has repeatedly clarified that the November 1 deadline isn’t meant for 1.4 million formally designated Afghan refugees and greater than 800,000 Afghan citizenship card holders residing lawfully within the nation.
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