National
Pak. allows overflight of Indian mission to Kabul
By C. Raja Mohan
NEW DELHI, DEC. 11. In an important political gesture, Pakistan has allowed the second Indian relief mission to Afghanistan to overfly its territory on Wednesday. Last week, when the first Indian relief flight went to Kabul, India was hesitant to request Pakistan for flying through its airspace.
But this time, India asked Islamabad for permission to overfly Pakistan and got it late this evening. The first Indian flight skirted Pakistan territory and did a near full-circle detour through Iran to reach Kabul.
Mr. Satinder Lambah, India's coordinator on Afghan affairs, is taking the second relief flight to Kabul tomorrow.
It is carrying medicines and other humanitarian assistance besides a a team of doctors and nurses.
Pakistan's positive response should make it easier for India to deliver quick and substantive humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan over coming weeks.
But high quantity of Indian aid can only be sustained, if New Delhi can deliver its aid by road via Pakistan.
Indian flights to Afghanistan overflying Pakistan would not have made news in ordinary times. But the region is going through a difficult period, as Pakistan comes to terms with the defeat of its protege, the Taliban, and India re-establishes its presence in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, maintaining the momentum of political contacts with the post-Taliban leadership in Kabul, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, today met a key regional leader from western Afghanistan.
Mr. Mirwaiz Sadeq, Minister-designate for Labour and Social Affairs in the Afghan interim administration, called on Mr. Singh to discuss future cooperation between India and Afghanistan.
Mr. Sadeq is the son of Mr. Ismail Khan, the legendary commander of anti-Taliban forces in western Afghanistan.
Mr. Sadeq, like other Afghan leaders who have been visiting here, has family stationed in the capital.
Mr. Ismail Khan was among those from the Northern Alliance leaders who was captured by the Taliban and kept as a prisoner.
But he managed to escape to Iran, from where he re- emerged after the U.S. launched its war against the Taliban.
Mr. Sadeq's talks with Mr. Singh focused on the kind of humanitarian assistance India could provide in western Afghanistan.
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