Daily Times

Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi Sunday said sanctions on Afghanistan and freezing of its assets by the US was harming the Afghans, which was a clear violation of human rights and enmity with an entire nation. He was speaking at the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Muttaqi warned that Afghanistan’s political isolation under the Taliban rule will not benefit anyone in the world. “This is not conducive to improving ties. Such actions harm American prestige and exacerbate the refugee crisis, the detrimental effects of which will not spare the wider world. We, as a representative and responsible government of the Afghan people, consider human rights, women rights and participation by all capable Afghans from various regions our duty. We have done much in this regard and will continue to take further steps.”

Muttaqi said the Taliban regime was ready to listen to and accept all requests, concerns and advice of Islamic countries that could lead towards a proper and just roadmap and guide them out of the ongoing crisis.

He claimed a decree was announced by the leader of the Islamic Emirate about the rights of women, which shall prove instrumental in giving them their rights.

According to the Afghan FM, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan continued to be the target of partisan propaganda by a number of media outlets whereby the present picture of Afghanistan was portrayed in a distorted manner to the world.

He said there were no political prisoners in Afghanistan and all of the government departments were operating smoothly.

“Five-hundred thousand civil servants from the former regime are working in various departments of the Islamic Emirate and none of them has been mistreated or discriminated against,” Muttaqi continued.

He said the Taliban government included people of all ethnicities, regions and faiths.

“We remain committed to broadening by providing favorable opportunity of participation to the professionals from all ethnicities and faiths,” he added.

Muttaqi said there was zero corruption in Afghanistan and they had established the state writ across the length and breadth of the country.

“The new government exercises control over the entire country, has established security, threatens no country and reserves the right to have formal relations with the world and be a responsible member of the wider international community,” said Muttaqi.

He assured the international community that the Afghan soil will not be used for terrorism, urging the global powers to support the prevailing stability and back it both politically and economically.

He also urged the international investors, specifically those from Islamic countries, to begin investments in Afghanistan”.

“We assure them of providing all necessary facilities. As a result of the prevalent security, Afghanistan can now transform into a hub of regional economic connectivity,” he added.

He said the Afghan people needed urgent assistance to prevent a humanitarian collapse.

“Our people have been devastated by wars, drought, Covid-19 and poverty, as billions of our dollar reserves have been frozen, and suspension of development and assistance projects by the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other institutions, has led to health, education and social services teetering on the edge,” said the Afghan minister.

“We need urgent short-term assistance and our compatriots need liquidity more than items in order to retain the value of Afghani currency and to address their principle needs,” he further said.

He also thanked the UAE and Saudi Arabia for sending the diplomatic staff back to Afghanistan and called on members of the OIC to reopen their missions in his country.