The recent earthquake has augmented the difficulties for Afghanistan which was already grappled with a series of crises including a fragile economy, poverty, hunger, and health problems. Around 1,150 people lost their lives, and over 1,600 were wounded in the magnitude 6.1 quake which shook Afghanistan’s eastern provinces. Moreover, 2,500 houses have been completely destroyed and hundreds of others partially damaged in the Paktika and Khost provinces. Paktika and Khost are the most affected Afghan provinces where several villages were completely destroyed by the earthquake.
Being an immediate neighbor and concerned with what is happening in Afghanistan, Pakistan immediately sent emergency assistance to Afghanistan, including the dispatch of emergency medicines, tents, tarpaulins, and blankets. PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its Afghan brethren in this difficult hour, and proved that government and people of Pakistan have a deep brotherly relationship with the people of Afghanistan.
Besides, Pakistan Army also announced that the armed forces of Pakistan are ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. Pakistan instantly sent emergency assistance to Afghanistan including the dispatch of emergency medicines.
Pakistan has also opened Ghulam Khan and Angoor Adda border crossing points to help provide medical aid to injured Afghan people hit by the devastating earthquake and border crossings will allow injured Afghans to reach Pakistani hospitals sooner.
Besides, the Pakistan army has also dispatched aid, provided two helicopters to transport the critically injured to the hospitals, and also set up a medical camp. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Afghanistan Cooperation Forum (PACF) is also keeping up its efforts to assist. The people of Afghanistan dispatching tons of humanitarian assistance consisting of food aid, winter bedding, tents, tarpaulins, and clothes.
The World Health Organization is supporting immediate health needs in the earthquake-affected areas, providing ambulances, medicines, and trauma services. The Taliban government has appealed to the international community for the provision of much-needed assistance to cope with the emergency situation by providing assistance to the affected people.
As Afghanistan is already facing economic hardship owing to internal sanctions and suspension of its banking system, therefore, the international doners need to come forth to play their role in rescuing the affected people. The Islamic Emirate is asking the world to give the Afghans their most basic right, which is their right to life and that is through lifting the sanctions and unfreezing our assets, and also giving assistance.
Therefore, the international community needs to show empathy toward the Afghan people and play an effective role in dispensation of timely assistance to avert the humanitarian crisis. Millions of Afghans are on the verge of facing a catastrophic famine, and their lives are at stake. The disaster is a major test for Afghanistan’s hardline Taliban rulers, who have been shunned by many foreign governments due to concerns about human rights since they seized control of the country last year. Afghanistan has been cut off from much direct international assistance because of Western sanctions, deepening a humanitarian crisis in the swaths of the country even before this week’s earthquake.
The people of Afghanistan are facing difficult times in the wake of international economic sanctions and suspension of international aid and the recent destruction by the earthquake has further aggravated the already precarious situation. Being a responsible state and neighbor of Afghanistan, Pakistan is doing all it could to assist its Afghan brethren despite its weak economic condition. Therefore, the international community needs to show empathy toward Afghan people and play an effective role in dispensation of timely assistance to avert the humanitarian crisis
