Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the international community to help avert a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which was facing severe economic problems.

Since the 40 million Afghan people were facing problems, Pakistan, which was also hosting an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Minister in Islamabad [on December 19], will do every effort to help address their suffering, he added.  The Prime Minister was addressing the inaugural session of Islamabad Conclave on “Peace and Prosperity in South Asia” here at the Institute of Strategic Studies.

Imran Khan mentioned the freezing of Afghanistan foreign exchange reserves by the United States as one of the major factors behind the economic and humanitarian crisis for Afghans, who were facing problems for the last 40 years.  He said that due to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Iran was also facing the problem of refugees.

The Prime Minister said that peace in Afghanistan was not only vital for the future of Pakistan but also for Central Asian States which were much interested in regional trade and connectivity.  Imran Khan in his address spoke on various issues of regional and international interests including Pakistan-India relations, Jammu and Kashmir dispute, climate change, etc.