NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stressed the importance of international community’s earnest engagement with Afghanistan and provision of necessary humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people.
Talking to President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer in New York, he outlined the contributions made by Pakistan towards the mitigation of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, especially through its support for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor and provision of in-kind assistance comprising of food and medicines.
He said the world community must also provide support to the Afghan refugee hosting countries in line with the principle of international responsibility and burden sharing.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also emphasized the need to promote lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan through active and sustained engagement of the international community on political, economic and humanitarian fronts.
Talking separately to the Foreign Ministers of Austria and Slovenia in New York, he highlighted the efforts made by Pakistan to facilitate the evacuation and relocation of diplomats and staff of Embassies and international organisations from Afghanistan.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi also shared with his counterparts a Dossier documenting India’s grave violations of human rights, international humanitarian law and UN Security Council resolutions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Qureshi also discussed the Afghan situation with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Wednesday.
The foreign minister held a meeting with the Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly session.
Recalling the recent interaction with his Qatari counterpart during the latter’s visit to Pakistan earlier this month, the two leaders exchanged views on various bilateral, regional and global issues, in particular on the situation in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister underscored the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan for regional security and prosperity.
He underlined the need for the international community to remain engaged with Afghanistan in order to prevent the emergence of humanitarian and economic crises in the country.
The two leaders agreed to remain closely engaged on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
