Troika Plus: Pakistan urges provision of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan

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Nomination papers of Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other PTI leaders approved

ISLAMABAD Nov 11,2021

Foreign Minister of Pakistan Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi in his remarks at Opening Session of Troika Plus Meeting said the Troika Plus is meeting after a gap of 3 months and during this period, Afghanistan has gone through a fundamental transformation.

He said a new administration is functioning in Kabul; interim cabinet was instituted and a massive evacuation was carried out by the international community.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said, the redeeming factors were: no bloodshed; much dreaded mass exodus of new refugees did not occur; encouraging announcement from Taliban on future step and, most importantly, international community has remained engaged.

Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged that the engagement with Afghanistan must not only continue but should be enhanced for multiple reasons. Nobody wishes to see a relapse into civil war, no one wants an economic collapse that will spur instability; everyone wants terrorist elements operating inside Afghanistan to be tackled effectively and; we all want to prevent a new refugee crisis.

“All of us have common concerns related to Afghanistan and also have a shared interest in the country’s peace and stability. And to bring that about, is a shared responsibility, Makhdoom said and added that in this situation, the Troika Plus has assumed greater significance and has a critical role to play.

“We are confident that Troika Plus’s engagement with the new Afghan government will help consolidate peace and stability, promote sustainable economic development and help constrict space for terrorist outfits operating from and within Afghanistan.”

Describing the Afghan situation Pakistan’s foreign ministr said, today, Afghanistan stands at the brink of an economic collapse. With international funding dried up, it has become difficult to pay even salaries, let alone pursue development projects.

Humanitarian assistance

‘The common man is reeling under the effects of a severe drought. Any further downward slide will severely limit the new administration’s capacity to run the government,” Qureshi said.

“It is, therefore, imperative for the international community to buttress provision of humanitarian assistance on an urgent basis. Health, education and municipal services require urgent attention.

Enabling Afghanistan to access its frozen funds will dovetail into our efforts to regenerate economic activities and move the Afghan economy towards stability and sustainability.

Similarly, the UN and its agencies must be urged to find ways to reach out to the common Afghan and help stabilize the situation.

Pakistan has a direct stake in Afghanistan’s peace

Being an immediate neighbor, Pakistan has a direct stake in Afghanistan’s peace and stability. We consider every ethnic community of Afghanistan important in the final destiny of the country.

Located next door, we have borne the brunt of four decades of conflict and instability in the shape of refugees, drugs and terrorism. We see the current situation as an opportunity to end the prolonged conflict.

It is, therefore, crucial that the international community avoids repeating mistakes of the past and continues with positive engagement.