UNITED NATIONS : Pakistan has called for \u201cgreater and sustained engagement\u201d with the Taliban government to promote the world community\u2019s goals in Afghanistan with respect to human rights, especially women\u2019s rights, political inclusivity and counter-terrorism, saying those objectives could not be achieved by isolating it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat could not be realized through force, cannot be achieved through isolation, sanctions or financial coercion,\u201d Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the General Assembly on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cA coercive approach could lead to renewed violence and conflict, strengthen terrorist groups and generate a new flow of Afghan refugees \u2013 which none of Afghanistan\u2019s neighbours are in a position to accommodate,\u201d he said in a debate on the situation in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government, which fought the Taliban for two decades in Afghanistan and has designated several Taliban leaders as international terrorists, has been pushing for \u201climited\u201d diplomatic engagement with the Taliban.<\/p>\n
In his remarks, Ambassador Aamir Khan said Pakistan fully shares the international community\u2019s desire to ensure full protection of human rights, especially women\u2019s rights and greater political, social and gender inclusion.<\/p>\n
Regardless of ideological considerations, he said, the world must welcome that \u2013 after 40 years \u2013 one authority controls the entire territory of Afghanistan, with no credible challenge to its authority.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is essential to ensure that \u2018spoilers\u2019 \u2013 within or outside Afghanistan \u2013 are not able to foment instability, insurgency or terrorism in Afghanistan,\u201d the Pakistan envoy said without name India. \u201cThe role of \u2018spoilers\u2019 especially the one from our region who wishes to aid and abet terrorism against Pakistan from Afghan soil must be checked and the terrorist network it has established must be dismantled in Afghanistan and the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aamir Khan stressed international community\u2019s \u201cvital\u201d interest to effectively end the threat of terrorism within or from Afghanistan posed by terrorist groups such as ISIL-K\/Daesh, the TTP, ETIM an IMU.<\/p>\n
In order to develop a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy, he said, engagement with the de-facto Afghan government was essential. Pakistan, he added, will support counter-terrorism efforts while respecting Afghanistan\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne year after the withdrawal of foreign forces and assumption of power by the Taliban government, the first priority remains the prevention of a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan,\u201d the Pakistani envoy said, pointing out that ninety-five percent of Afghan people live in extreme poverty.<\/p>\n
Aamir Khan said the international community\u2019s primary interest is the restoration of sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan, to avoid another civil war. Also vital is continued humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan, he said, urging the international community to fulfill the UN Secretary-General\u2019s call for $4.2 billion in humanitarian assistance and economic support to its people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe early resumption of reconstruction and implementation of the shovel-ready connectivity projects with Central Asia and other neighbours including the extension of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor to Afghanistan can contribute immensely to development and peace in Afghanistan and the adjacent regions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aamir Khan urged the international community to build a realistic and pragmatic path towards normalization in Afghanistan \u2013 one which addresses the concerns of the world community \u2013 human rights, inclusion, terrorism \u2013 while also accommodating the legitimate expectations of the de-facto Afghan government<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS : Pakistan has called for \u201cgreater and sustained engagement\u201d with the Taliban government to promote the world community\u2019s goals in Afghanistan with respect to human rights, especially women\u2019s rights, political inclusivity and counter-terrorism, saying those objectives could not be achieved by isolating it. \u201cWhat could not be realized through force, cannot be achieved […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-294607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n