The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s special envoy for Afghanistan Tarig Ali Bakheet this week met with Pakistan’s foreign minister Amna Baloch for talks on the situation in Afghanistan.

According to a statement issued by the OIC, both sides shared perspectives on political, economic and humanitarian issues regarding Afghanistan.

Bakheet also delivered an official written message from the OIC Secretary-General on the latest developments regarding the organization’s work and activities in Afghanistan to support the Afghan people.

Both sides underscored the need to continue to coordinate, consult, and cooperate in the interest of stability and progress in Afghanistan.

Bakheet also met with Ahmed Naseem Warraich, Additional Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia). During this meeting, both sides exchanged views on various international formats for engagement on Afghanistan and possibilities to strengthen and enhance these initiatives.

“They also discussed the efforts of the OIC and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to pursue a constructive dialogue with the de facto authorities on various issues including girls’ education, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian aspects,” the OIC’s statement read.

Bakheet also met with Kazim Niaz, Pakistan’s minister of economic affairs and shared the progress made in the operationalization of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF) since the mandate entrusted by the extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the ‘Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan” held in Islamabad on 19 December 2021.

He emphasized the need to strengthen the AHTF by mobilizing more resources for the Fund.

On his part, Niaz highlighted that Pakistan played a leading role in collaborating in the initial response to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan in 2021.

He also shed light on Pakistan-funded projects in Afghanistan including hospitals, scholarships, and infrastructure projects.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Thursday in response to the UN Women report released this week that it is untrue and is based on "propaganda".

“This survey is not accurate. Unfortunately, like opinions, it is not always prepared based on information from inside Afghanistan but on propaganda,” said Mujahid.

“We have many women in Afghanistan who are engaged in business and work and have progressed in their lives. We still have different fields where women are active in the framework of government,” he added.

According to the report, the Islamic Emirate’s implementation of a series of decrees, directives and practices over the past three years has been “aimed at systematically removing women from Afghan public life and decision-making positions – across almost all sectors.

“This stream of edicts has also included a ban on girls and young
women pursuing secondary and university-level education in Afghanistan,” the report read.

The UN also stated that the near “wholesale exclusion of women and girls from broader society, coupled with the overlapping economic and humanitarian crises” has caused a marked deterioration in the living conditions for the overwhelming majority of Afghans.

UN Women also said this “is resulting in shifts in community attitudes towards gender norms and a mental health crisis within families across Afghanistan.”

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has repatriated the bodies of two deceased Afghans killed in the Kalgan Valley in Iran, deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said on Thursday.

Fitrat stated that following reports of the shooting of Afghan migrants along the Iran-Pakistan border earlier this month, the Islamic Emirate launched an investigation.

“Thus far, based on the collected evidence, explosions and gunfire have targeted Afghan nationals within the Kalgan Valley, situated in Iranian territory,” Fitrat said.

“Presently, the bodies of two martyrs, along with 34 eyewitnesses, some of whom sustained injuries during the incident, have been repatriated by the committee.

“Certain individuals remain in Iran and Pakistan, and the committee is actively engaged in locating and repatriating them,” he said.

According to him, the investigation remains ongoing, and that detailed findings will be “disseminated upon the conclusion of the investigation.”

Two weeks ago reports emerged of the killing of migrants at the Iran-Pakistan border.

An Iranian-based human rights organization Haalvsh reported that as many as 250 Afghan migrants had been gunned down while trying to cross the border.

Haalvsh reported the group of migrants, totalling about 300, had also been targeted with RPGs.

Iran’s special envoy and ambassador to Kabul Hassan Kazemi Qomi said at the time that the reports were not true.

“As of now, reliable sources confirm that the news about the deaths of dozens of illegal citizens at the Saravan border is not true," he said.

Qomi said however that responding “legally” to the “illegal entry of unauthorized nationals” was “the legitimate right of countries, and the border guards of any country are obliged to prevent the entry of illegal nationals.”