Aug. 30, 2021: After a long 20-year presence of foreign troops in the region, Pakistan emerged at the center of intense global activity a few weeks before the withdrawal of all foreign troops to secure the safe evacuation of Western diplomats and their local allies in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s capital Islamabad’s airport has become the center of the evacuation process, providing transit to more than 20,000 evacuations in the 10 days since the fall of Kabul, a major effort praised in all capitals of the world.

Now, as the evacuation process was coming to an end, a new effort is about to begin. Sources said that the World Food Program (WFP) has already issued an appeal for help from Pakistan.

Several world leaders have contacted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Pakistan over the past two weeks. He appreciated Pakistan’s support from the world in the evacuation process and efforts for Afghan peace.

In this regard, officials said that German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will pay an important visit to Pakistan next week.

Earlier, on August 21, Mass telephoned Qureshi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. In Islamabad, the German foreign minister will hold consultations with the Pakistani leadership on Afghan security and the establishment of a broad-based government, sources said. He added that the evacuation of foreigners from Afghanistan would also be discussed during the visit.

The Taliban captured Kabul August 15, two weeks before the deadline for US troops to leave the country. The fall of the capital sent shockwaves through foreigners as well as some locals, who arrived at Kabul airport as the only escape route from the country.

US forces, which control Hamid Karzai International Airport, are liaising with international flights to take their own military flights out of the country. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is also operating special flights as part of its evacuation mission.

Between August 16 and 26, more than 20,000 passengers flew into the city on special international flights operated by 332 allied planes and other airlines, Islamabad Airport sources said.

The passengers included endangered Afghans, he added. Passengers from Islamabad were leaving for different countries. He also said that the flight operation is still going on, before the last date of US withdrawal is August 31 (tomorrow).

On the other hand, the changing situation in Afghanistan, the United Nations Food Program has also sought help from Pakistan. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had approved a conditional air operation for the WFP for Afghanistan, according to a notification.

The notification said planes and helicopters would be used to deliver food to Kabul, while military equipment on relief flights would be banned. The WFP will also pay a fixed fee for the operation.

According to civil aviation officials, the United Nations will have to provide full details of the aid operation to be conducted by Pakistan. The added that besides Islamabad, Peshawar Airport would also be used for delivery.

THey said six people would fly from Peshawar to Kabul by M18 helicopter.

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