Wheat donated by Pakistan inedible, India is far better: Taliban official

Pic courtesy: IANS

Kabul (Afghanistan): Pakistan has been accused of donating poor quality wheat to Afghanistan, leading to a war of words on Twitter. A Taliban official reportedly slammed Pakistan for donating poor quality of wheat while praising the quality of wheat sent by India. Social media was abuzz with a video that showed a Taliban official complaining about the quality of Pakistani wheat.

"Wheat donated by Pakistan is not edible: Taliban Official," Afghan journalist Abdulhaq Omeri tweeted as he posted a video of the Taliban official. Afghan people were seen thanking India on Twitter for the "good quality wheat." "Thank you India for your continued support to the Afghan people. Our Public to public-friendly relations will be forever. Jai Hind," Hamdullah Arbab tweeted. Another user named Najib Farhodis said, "Wheat donated by Pakistan to Afghanistan All Pakistani wheat is worn out and spoiled that can not be used. India has always helped Afghanistan."

Apparently, the Taliban official, who had made these remarks on the poor nature of Pakistani wheat, was dismissed from his post. Last month, India started sending wheat to the Afghan people as humanitarian assistance. The second convoy of India's humanitarian assistance carrying 2000 MTs of wheat left Attari, Amritsar on Thursday for Jalalabad, Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. This is part of India's commitment of 50,000 MTs of wheat for the Afghan people and will be distributed by United Nations' World Food Programme.

"India remains committed to its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet. Earlier this month, India had announced that it will send 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat to Afghanistan overland through Pakistan. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had flagged off the first such consignment from Amritsar.

It was also reported that continuing to display animosity against India, the Pakistan government removed banners bearing a message of India’s gift from all the Afghan trucks passing through its territory carrying humanitarian aid of wheat from India to the war-devastated Afghanistan. 

(With ANI inputs)