LIKE millions of patriots in Pakistan, I am absolutely furious at the government’s decision to allow 50,000 tonnes of wheat to be exported from India to Afghanistan via Pakistan on humanitarian grounds. We all know that after the Taliban took over, not only did India lose all its credibility and goodwill, but a vital foothold in Afghanistan from where it had made Pakistan suffer with over 70,000 deaths and billions of dollars in monetary losses.

It is not the wheat India is sending to Afghanistan, but a signal of friendship and a way to re-establish its bases there. Why does not India send its consignment through Iran where it was building a port?

We all know the nature of the beast. All Afghans will never be loyal to Pakistan no matter how much and what Pakistan does for them. We are probably the only country considering all Muslim states as ‘brothers’. If Pakistan wants to help, let it provide the wheat, fertiliser, etc., itself, although it is importing both due to huge shortages being faced by our own people.

Pakistan should immediately reverse its decision and refrain from any sort of trade or trading facilities from India.

Zafar Aslam
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022