KARACHI
\nThe interim foreign minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has once again asked the world to lift sanctions imposed on the country and expressed the willingness to work together with all nations, including the US.
\nIn anop-ed published in Al Jazeera, Mr Muttaqi, however, didn\u2019t address the friction points (respecting the rights of Afghans, lifting curbs on women\u2019s access to education and work and taking action against terror outfits operating out of Afghanistan) that have made Kabul a near pariah in global politics.
\nSince coming into power in August 2021, the Afghan Taliban have repeatedly urged the world to recognise their government and lift economic restrictions to help millions of Afghans who are living in deplorable conditions often described by the UN as a \u2018humanitarian crisis\u2019.
\nIn his article, the Taliban minister acknowledged the crisis in the country and blamed sanctions imposed by the US and other countries for it.
\n\u201cThe primary cause of the ongoing economic crisis is the imposition of sanctions and banking restrictions by the United States. This impedes and delays our efforts to address the humanitarian crisis,\u201d wrote Mr Muttaqi.
\n\u201cWhat moral and political justifications can the US have for imposing crippling sanctions on a war-torn nation?\u201d
\nHe added that over the past two decades, the Afghan economy \u201cwas made wholly dependent on foreign aid\u201d and now with zero aid inflows, there was a need to \u201caddress the basic and fundamental needs of the Afghan people\u201d. He also \u201creminded\u201d the US and other countries that sanctions and pressures do not resolve differences.
\n\u201cThere is a need for the international community to establish political and economic relations with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan while respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.\u201d
\nMr Muttaqi added that if sanctions result in another failed government in Afghanistan, it would result in grave consequences not only for the country but the whole world.
\n\u201c[S]uch a scenario will be accompanied by a great human tragedy that will not be limited to Afghanistan, but rather usher in new and unforeseen \u2026 challenges for our neighbours, the region and the world.\u201d
\nWhile the Afghan minister pleaded with the world to make concessions and work together, his article carried no indication of what his government would do to address the concerns of global powers.
\nHis nearly 1350-word long piece makes not even a single mention of women\u2019s access to education or allowing them to work.
\nThe closest he came to mentioning \u2014 not addressing \u2014 these issues was when he said that the country\u2019s \u201cinternal affairs\u201d have often been \u201cmisconceived or misconstrued\u201d.
\n\u201cThe religious and cultural sensibilities of our society require a cautious approach. Any government that has not maintained the proper equilibrium, pertaining to such sensibilities, has ultimately faced serious difficulties. This is a lesson that our recent history has emphasised over and over again,\u201d the minister wrote.
\nListing his government\u2019s achievements, the minister claimed that action has been taken to ensure that the territory was not used against other countries while the cultivation of drugs has been banned.
\n\u201cWe celebrate, and take pride, in our diversity and rich history. We don\u2019t believe in imposing the majority\u2019s will on a minority. In our view, every citizen of the country is an inseparable part of the collective whole.\u201d
\nHe said that the government acknowledged its \u201cchallenges and shortcomings\u201d and sought time, resources and cooperation to address those issues. \u201c[A]ll countries of the world have problems of their own. Yet, we choose to assist and alleviate, rather than shun and exacerbate.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI The interim foreign minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has once again asked the world to lift sanctions imposed on the country and expressed the willingness to work together with all nations, including the US. In anop-ed published in Al Jazeera, Mr Muttaqi, however, didn\u2019t address the friction points (respecting the rights of Afghans, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":321554,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-321536","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n