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IEA barred from next ECO meeting in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will not participate in the next meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization or “ECO” which will be held in Tashkent.
Sherzod Asadov, the press secretary to the president of Uzbekistan, said on Tuesday that in order for Afghanistan to be represented at the meeting, all ECO member countries and the international community would first have to recognize the IEA as the legitimate government.
Sherzod Asadov emphasized that Afghanistan is an ECO member country but due to political changes in August 2021, it may not “temporarily participate” in ECO meetings and activities.
It has been over two years since the IEA regained control of Afghanistan but no country has yet officially recognized the government.
The international community says that until the Islamic Emirate provides the basic rights of the people of Afghanistan, including the rights of girls and women, their government will not be recognized.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, however, says that any meeting relating to Afghanistan will not bear results unless the IEA has an active role in these gatherings.
The spokesperson of the president of Uzbekistan believes that the establishment of Afghanistan as a peaceful and prosperous country is an important condition for achieving stable economic development in the ECO environment.
A number of experts consider the presence of Afghan representatives in large meetings, especially in the region, to be important.
The presidents of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, the prime minister of Kazakhstan, the head of the interim government of Pakistan and the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will participate in this round of the ECO meeting.
Pakistani local media reports that Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar has arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan to attend the 16th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit
The Prime Minister was received by the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdullah Nagmatovich Aripov at Tashkent International Airport.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and Caretaker Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz are also accompanying the Prime Minister.
Uzbek officials have also said that several bilateral meetings will be held within the framework of this round of ECO meeting.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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