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Islamabad
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Sunday outcomes of economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan would be terrible, and that situation needed an abrupt solution. In his welcome address during 17th extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on Sunday, Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged OIC members to create ‘a vehicle within the OIC to channel’ to attain immediate and sustained humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan people including the pledges from the OIC and other donors.
“This is the time to help Afghanistan” he pointed out, adding that ‘Muslim countries could utilize golden opportunity to avert humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan’.
During his address, Pakistan’s foreign minister proposed a six-point agenda for creating a mechanism to help Afghan people.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said we should agree to increase investment for the Afghan people bilaterally or through the OIC in areas such as education, health, technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth.
“A group of experts comprising the OIC, the UN and international financial institutions be established to consider ways and means to facilitate Afghan access to legitimate banking system and ease liquidity challenge of Afghan people.” He told participants of conference.
“We should focus on enhancing food security of the Afghan people and the Islamic organization of food security must lead this effort” the foreign minister added.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said we should engage with the Afghan authorities to help meet the expectations of the international community regarding political and social inclusivity, respect for human rights especially of women and girls and combating terrorism.
Alluding to the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and threat of economic meltdown there, the Foreign Minister said this is a moment to extend a collective helping hand and not withhold support.
He said that Pakistan concurred with the United Nations Secretary General that the humanitarian assistance be provided without conditions.
Ends/Online
