The first cargo of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying medical supplies of the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in Afghanistan on Monday.
The PK-234 (Boeing 777 AP-BHV), flew from Dubai and landed at the Mazar-i-Sharif Airport. This is the first international flight to Afghanistan’s fourth-largest city after the Taliban control.
On his part, Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan affirmed that the cargo flight took essential supplies of WHO to Mazar-i-Sharif in line with Pakistan’s role of making a ‘humanitarian air bridge’ in coordination with international agencies.
“First PIA Cargo flight with WHO medical supplies from Islamabad to Mazar Sharif today,” the envoy tweeted.
https://twitter.com/ambmansoorkhan/status/1432230326819037185
“A humanitarian air bridge for essential supplies to Afghanistan in coordination with international agencies. Thanx PIA,” he wrote.
In view of the medical supplies running out within days in Afghanistan, WHO announced last week to establish an air bridge into the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif with the help of Pakistani authorities
The supplies included trauma kits and emergency supplies for hospitals, as well as medicines for treating chronic malnutrition in children.
WHO’s regional emergency director said around 18 million people depend on the aid.
“What remains certain is that humanitarian needs are enormous and growing,” Rick Brennan told a U.N. briefing, as reported by Reuters.
“Right now because of security concerns and several other operational considerations, Kabul airport is not going to be an option for the next week at least,” he said, speaking from Cairo.
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