We can purchase smuggled ventilators: Embassy

KABUL’s Embassy in Islamabad said on Tuesday.

Earlier, Pajhwok Afghan News reported that 32 ventilators Afghanistan received in aid had been smuggled to Pakistan at a time when patients in the country were dying due to lack of these devices.

The Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 19 that “the source” in contact with the smugglers had reached out to the embassy and according to its information, the smugglers wanted to sell one ventilator against $8,000.

“It cannot be confirmed that the ventilators the smugglers want to sell are the same smuggled to Pakistan, there is no accurate information in this regard. If the foreign ministry orders, the embassy will launch more investigation, and the embassy can search for.”

On July 25, the embassy dispatched another letter to the MoFA saying: “The ventilator issue has been shared with government officials verbally and officially with MoFA in order to take further steps for resolution of the issue but no order was issued to the embassy so far in this regard.”

The embassy wants the MoFA to provide clear direction regarding future steps in the issue.

Pajhwok Afghan News shared the issue with the Presidential Palace spokesperson and with the Ministry of Public Health through telephone and Whatsapp, but received no response.

MoFA Spokesperson Geran Hewad said the foreign ministry would share information if Pajhwok could share with them the official letter from Islamabad embassy. But besides sharing the letter, the MoFA did not provide more information.

nh

Visits: 2