ISLAMABAD: UK-Pakistan Business Council Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq on Thursday hailed the decision of UK government for co-hosting an upcoming United Nations’ virtual summit for raising $4.4 billion funds to help address the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Talking to a delegation of think tank led by Mian Muizzuddin Mahmmod, where he said that an international aid conference will be organized next month to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. He said the virtual pledging conference was aimed at helping the UN raise US $4.4 billion for Afghanistan, the largest amount it has ever requested for a single country. The UN has repeatedly warned of the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and has called on the international community to support the people of Afghanistan in this difficult time, he added. He said UPBC “welcomes donors from around the globe to join together to save the lives and futures of Afghans.” He said last month, the UN launched an appeal to raise $4.4 billion in aid to help over 24.4 million Afghans needing urgent humanitarian support to survive. Mian Kashif said that donor country, UN agencies and members of the Afghan civil society are expected to join hands in the virtual event. Speaking on the occasion Muizzudin Mahmood said that the conference was a critical moment for the international community to step up support in an effort to stop the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. He said the scale of need was unparalleled and consequences of inaction will be devastating,”. He said last year, the UK committed £286 million to support Afghans. Following the collapse of the former government, Afghanistan’s central bank’s assets were frozen by US and the international development assistance was cut off. Since then, Afghanistan has faced a dire economic and humanitarian situation he concluded.