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Kabul hopes Afghanistan and Pakistan can address mutual concerns
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has expressed hope that Afghanistan and Pakistan can address their mutual concerns.
Balkhi told Al Jazeera TV channel that both sides should find a “better pathway” that safeguards the “goodwill” that the government and people of Pakistan had shown towards Afghan refugees.
In October last, Pakistan gave illegal refugees a deadline to leave voluntarily or face forced repatriation.
The United Nations says that Pakistan has forced more than 450,000 Afghans out of the country.
Balkhi also dismissed fears that some refugees will be persecuted after return.
“We have maintained a policy of general amnesty. Thanks Allah, we are Muslims. Unlike certain powers that killed and suffocated thousands of prisoners in containers, we declared a general amnesty, and we have shown in our deeds that the general amnesty stands for anyone that collaborated with foreign powers. There are hundreds of thousands that are currently working shoulder-to-shoulder with the government of Afghanistan and government bodies. And there are millions of others who are living peacefully and enjoying their lives,” Balkhi said.
He said that Pakistan started expelling Afghan refugees without coordinating with Kabul and against international practices.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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