ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will provide $280 million to the Taliban government for humanitarian aid of Afghan people. Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced this after a daylong visit to Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, where he held meetings with the important leaders of the government
Pakistan will keep its border with Afghanistan open for longer hours to support bilateral trade and the new Taliban-led government.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the announcement on Thursday after returning from a daylong visit to Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, where he met with Taliban leaders.
“We have increased the working hours for pedestrian crossing. In the past, it was eight hours a day, but now they can cross the border for a period of 12 hours.”
Qureshi said Pakistan will provide humanitarian aid worth 5 billion rupees (about $280 million) to Afghanistan. He said Pakistan will also try to resume flights with Kabul, which were suspended this month.
Foreign Minister Qureshi announced several other measures to facilitate the movement of Afghans at two key border crossings.
“In the past, Afghan businessmen were facing problems with visas. We have decided now that if any Afghan businessman wants to come to Pakistan, they will receive visa on arrival, which is valid for 30 days and there will be no requirements for security clearance.”
He spoke a few hours after Pakistani counterterrorism forces killed three Afghan militants who belonged to the Daesh group during a raid on a hideout near the country’s border with Afghanistan.
Pakistan has witnessed scores of terrorist attacks in recent years, most of which were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban and Daesh terrorists.
