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India dispatches 2,500 tons of wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistan
India on Tuesday dispatched 2,500 tons of wheat in aid to Afghanistan through Pakistan.
The consignment is part of the 50,000 tons of wheat India has pledged to deliver to Afghanistan within the next three months.
The wheat will be handed over in Jalalabad to the United Nations’ World Food Program, with which India has signed a pact to distribute the aid in Afghanistan.
It will cross through Attari-Wagah border, which has been closed to Indian goods since August 2019, when Islamabad suspended trade relations with New Delhi.
Pakistan has said it is opening the land route as an exception – only for the transit of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
“We covered a long distance to reach India. Now we will take the donated wheat back to Afghanistan through Wagah route,” a truck driver said.
India meanwhile announced it was sending the wheat in October in response to appeals made by the United Nations for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said at the time New Delhi was ready to provide more humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the director of the World Food Program in India, Bishow Parajuli, said: “All the help Afghanistan receives will be of extreme value and therefore this help coming from India is really timely and very important.”
He said over half of the Afghan population was grappling with hunger, stressing the need for continued humanitarian assistance to the country.
At least two civilians have been killed and eight others wounded following fresh shelling by Pakistan across the disputed Durand Line in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, local authorities said Wednesday.
Officials reported that over the past 24 hours, Pakistani forces fired approximately 85 rockets targeting residential areas across several districts, causing damage to civilian homes and heightening fears among local communities.
According to Zia-ur-Rahman Spin Ghar, head of information at the provincial Directorate of Information and Culture, the heaviest casualties were recorded in Nari district, where one civilian was killed and six others injured. In Sarkano district, another civilian lost their life, while two more people were wounded.
Additional rockets struck areas including Shultan, Marawara, and the outskirts of Asadabad. While no casualties were reported in those strikes, residents described widespread panic and property damage.
Escalating tensions
The latest incident comes amid a broader escalation in cross-Durand Line violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent weeks. Residents in frontier provinces have repeatedly reported shelling, displacement, and disruption to daily life.
Spin Ghar also confirmed that Afghan forces responded with retaliatory strikes, claiming to have destroyed three Pakistani military outposts and killed one Pakistani soldier. There has been no immediate confirmation from Pakistani authorities.
Growing humanitarian concerns
The ongoing hostilities have raised concerns about civilian safety in these areas where communities often find themselves caught in the crossfire. Aid groups warn that continued shelling could lead to further displacement and strain already limited local resources.
With no clear signs of de-escalation, observers say urgent dialogue is needed to prevent further civilian casualties and stabilize the volatile region.
At the 95th Standing Committee of UNHCR, the European Union and its Member States called for urgent de-escalation of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the need for dialogue and respect for international law.
In a statement, the EU urged all sides to avoid further escalation, ensure the protection of civilians, and uphold territorial integrity. It also reiterated that Afghan soil should not be used to threaten or attack other countries, calling on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to take effective action against militant groups operating within or from the country.
The bloc further expressed concern over the broader humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, highlighting restrictions that continue to affect the work of international organizations and humanitarian partners.
A key issue raised was the return of more than four million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan over the past two years, which the EU said has placed additional strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile economy and public services. It voiced particular concern over forced deportations and emphasized the importance of respecting the right to seek asylum and the principle of non-refoulement.
A group of religious scholars from Afghanistan and Pakistan have called on authorities in both countries to extend the pause in hostilities, initially announced for Eid ul-Fitr, until Eid ul-Adha.
The appeal comes after Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Information Minister, announced a temporary ceasefire from March 18–19 midnight until March 23–24 midnight.
In a joint statement signed by 11 Pakistani clerics and as many Afghan clerics, the scholars emphasized that their initiative aims to promote a sustainable and dignified resolution to tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Dawn newspaper reported.
The clerics urged both Pakistani authorities and the Afghan side to extend the ceasefire to allow pilgrims to perform Hajj in a peaceful environment. They added that this “peace movement” goes beyond the ceasefire appeal and includes broader diplomatic and social efforts to resolve longstanding issues between the two countries.
The scholars expressed hope that their efforts would lead to a mutually acceptable solution and help lay the foundation for lasting stability and regional harmony.
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