Tackling Humanitarian Crisis In Afghanistan Must Be Top Priority, Pakistan Tells OIC

By Shakir Husain NEW DELHI, March 22 (Bernama) -- Pakistan on Tuesday called on Muslim countries to consider tackling the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as the top priority so that stability is achieved in the country. Speaking at the opening of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed the Islamic body's strengthened presence in Kabul, establishment of an OIC humanitarian fund and the appointment of a special envoy on Afghanistan following the OIC's extraordinary meeting in December. "These are all clear and concrete steps, but we need to build on them. Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and preventing a collapse of the Afghan economy must remain our top priorities," Qureshi said. He said the OIC must support the Afghan authorities in eliminating Daesh and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan. "We must guard against spoilers that wish to continue destabilising Afghanistan and using its territory to promote terrorism. A peaceful, stable, inclusive, prosperous and connected Afghanistan is in the best interest of us all," the Pakistan foreign minister said. After two decades, the United States forces finally withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021 and subsequently the Taliban forces took back the nation and ousted the government of Mohammad Ashraf Gani. However, without much international recognition and funding, Afghans are seeing miserable state of affairs in their country and there are fears of a humanitarian situation arising due to food shortages. The two-day 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC in Islamabad will conclude on Wednesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar is representing Malaysia at the event. -- BERNAMA