Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday stressed the rebooting of the banking system of Afghanistan, claiming that it will be the first big step towards the economic stability of the country.

Talking to media in Islamabad, the FM said that Pakistan and other Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries may contribute to the capacity building of the Afghans. He highlighted that many Afghan nationals living abroad want to help their families by remitting money. Qureshi urged the international community to reach out, as ordinary Afghans were suffering immensely due to no fault of their own. Warning the world of the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the minister said that Pakistan, being an immediate neighbour, is concerned over the situation because it has an interest in the peace and stability of the war-torn country. “The extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is aimed at drawing the world’s attention to the plight of the Afghan people. The OIC has been supporting the Afghan people over the years,” he remarked.

He further added that if attention was not paid to avert the humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan, it will become the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, cancelling the gains of the last 20 years. “International terrorist organisations will also take advantage of this situation and increase their footprints in Afghanistan,” Qureshi maintained. “There is a possibility of peace and stability in Afghanistan after 40 years and if this is missed, we should be prepared for a new exodus of refugees, which will not only affect Pakistan, and neighbouring countries, but the whole world, including the European countries”. The FM said that Pakistan has transported relief goods to Afghanistan but stressed that mitigating the challenges faced by the Afghan people is a “shared responsibility”.

Responding to a question, Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan stands by the Afghan people, clarifying that this country is neither an advocate nor a spokesperson for the Taliban. “We are only speaking for 38 million Afghan people”. To another question, the minister said that the US Special Representative on Afghanistan will attend the OIC moot in Islamabad, which will provide an opportunity for them to judge and assess the Afghan situation. He said the acting FM of Afghanistan along with a delegation will also be in attendance at the upcoming meeting.