After OIC moot, AICC takes up Afghan crisis

S Rahman

As Pakistan is enjoying time-tested fraternal ties with the people of

Afghanistan for decades, Imran Khan government has taken two
exceptionally fruitful steps like facilitation of Saudi-led OIC
Foreign Ministers’ extraordinary meeting in Islamabad and
establishment of AICC which have put the Afghanistan relief operations
on a fast track.

As regards the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC),

headed by National Security Advisor, Dr Moeed Yusuf, it has taken
practical steps for providing humanitarian assistance to the people of
Afghanistan in many crucial areas along with an allocation of a
worthwhile, initial fund of Rs 5 billion under the directions of Prime
Minister Imran Khan. AICC is supposed to undertake the task of policy
formulation with greater focus on follow-up and implementation.
Even OIC Foreign Ministers’ Councils’ Extraordinary meeting has moved
fast in the direction of mustering substantial support for Afghans
whose vast majority falls in the hard-hit, poverty-stricken category
especially in the wake of two decades of war whose negative fallout
continues to wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary Afghans. To make
matters worse, a big chunk of Afghanistan’s funds, to the tune of US
Dollars 9 billion, have been frozen abroad and appeals to the United
States for its release, have fallen on deaf ears.
Some keen observers of events liken the spirit behind the 2021 OIC
Ministers’ conference to the one witnessed during the Islamic Summit
held in Nineteen Seventies in Lahore that symbolized greater Muslim
unity of a global scale, as envisioned by the charismatic leaders of
the Muslim world of those times, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shah Faisal
playing the lead role in uniting the Muslim leaders and nations on one
platform to strengthen the fraternity against the machinations and the
concomitant dominance of the biased, non-Muslim powers of the West.

As is quite a well known fact, the driving spirit behind this

extraordinary session has been the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However,
Pakistan seized the opportunity well in time to make it a success with
its contribution, by hosting the meeting. The sole objective,
obviously is to work out solutions to Afghanistan’s ever-worsening
humanitarian crises.

According to some estimates recently released by the United Nations,

60% of Afghanistan’s 38 million people face “crisis levels of hunger”
and that situation is aggravating with every passing day.
World Food Programme (WFP) has also issued a warning which paints a
abysmal picture of 3.2 million Afghan children who are at the risk of
acute malnutrition. Displacement and dislocation are other issues
facing the Afghan people as, according to UNHCR (United Nations High
Commission for Refugees), 665,000 people have been newly displaced
within Afghanistan between January and September 2021 – in addition to
the 2.9 million people already internally displaced in that country.

As for the setting up of AICC, Prime Minister Imran Khan has received
wide appreciation in Pakistan and in several diplomatic circles of the
world for putting this Cell on a fast forward track.
Obviously, the driving spirit behind this exercise is the humanitarian
concept of Islam that is being spearheaded by the PM in Pakistan and
propounded by him, time and again, in foreign capitals and fora.
The most encouraging dimension of AICC is that it has been equipped
with a sustainable system of coordination and monitoring. The Cell
also has a diverse composition drawing representation from various
government departments and organizations like, for instance, Customs,
National Logistics Cell (NLC), Civil Aviation, State Bank and Frontier
Corps and the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance and
Commerce all of which have been given the assignment of ensuring
unhindered movement of people to and from Afghanistan as well as
regular trade across the borders.
The emphasis is on taking quick, practical steps some of which have
already been taken. Take, for example, the delivery of the first
consignment of 1800 metric tonnes of wheat, as humanitarian
assistance. This consignment, which is a part of the package of 50,000
metric tonnes of wheat plus further in-kind assistance, has reached
Afghanistan. Additionally, the delivery of winter shelters and
emergency medical supplies to our Afghan brethren, has also started.
And though many would like to describe this 5-billion-rupee relief
package a modest one, it is, by all practical and humanitarian
standards, a good start which is going to augur well for the people of
Afghanistan.
The assistance package also includes eatables, life-saving medicines,
winter supplies and shelter besides assistance in the fields of
education, training and more and more areas of health.
AICC, under the PM’s instructions, has also chalked out a
comprehensive plan revolving around some vital initiatives that focus,
inter alia, on visa facilitation for INGOs and foreign investors
interested in carrying out relief work in Afghanistan. And regular
supply of wheat remains a priority. More attention is being given to
the refurbishment of hospitals and free Covid-19 vaccination on
borders.
As regards the refurbishment of hospitals inside Afghanistan, AICC has
sent teams of engineers and technicians to Afghanistan for speedy
completion of three new hospitals to provide relief to the people of
the war-torn neighbouring country. Already, the construction work on
three hospitals, namely the Nishtar Hospital, Jalalabad, Jinnah
Hospital, Kabul and Logari Hospital, Logar, has been completed.
Moreover, the installation and commissioning of medical equipment
worth Rs 2 billion is under way. In this area, AICC is also helping
Afghan citizens to avail Universal Health Coverage.
In the area of free Covid-19 vaccination on borders, one hundred
thousand plus (100,000 +) people travelling from across Afghan borders
(Torkham and Chaman borders) have been administered COVID-19 vaccine
jabs during the last two-and-a-half months. Under the overall
supervision of AICC, the Ministry of National Health Services has made
it sure that, in all, five hundred thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccine,
are provided till the foreseeable future, for vaccination at the
Pak-Afghan border points.
More plans are also on the anvil to expand these relief operations
under the banner of AICC, as per the latest instructions from PM Imran
Khan who is reported to have directed the officials concerned to work
on a plan to enhance the financial allocation for relief assistance.