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OIC chief says he will ‘pursue dialogue’ with IEA and int’l community
The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said on Tuesday that the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting will tackle a number of issues and that the organization will address the situation in Afghanistan.
Speaking during the opening session of the meeting, in Islamabad, the Secretary-General of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha, also said that foreign ministers would discuss the political and security situation in Afghanistan with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
In his address to delegates, Taha said: “I will pursue dialogue for peace, security and development in Afghanistan with de facto authorities and international partners.”
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also commented on Afghanistan during the opening session and said: “We call for more efforts to help the brotherly Afghan people and we call on Afghans to help themselves by ensuring that Afghan lands are not used as a haven for extremist groups and respect for human rights, including Women’s right to education.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan meanwhile gave the opening speech at the two-day meeting and said the OIC needs to encourage the Afghan people and include them in the international community.
He said he believed the “people of Afghanistan are strong enough to evolve and go in the right direction.”
Imran Khan also said no other people had suffered as much as Afghans but noted that for the first time in over 40 years, there was no conflict in the country.
“The only danger now is through the sanctions [imposed on Afghanistan] and non-recognition”, which could cause a humanitarian crisis, he said.
Imran Khan stated that it was “extremely important” to stabilize Afghanistan because it was the “only way we are going to be able to stop international terrorism from Afghan soil”.
“Let’s not be delusional that some other country can come in and fight terrorism through drones. The only way is a stable Afghanistan government that can take care of terrorism.
“Anyone who knows the Afghan character should be cautioned, please do not push the people of Afghanistan where they feel their sovereignty is being threatened.”
The meeting, however, is taking place in the midst of Imran Khan’s toughest political phase as he is facing a no-confidence motion.
Nearly two dozen lawmakers of his own Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party have turned against him in the past week. The session for a vote on the motion has been called on 25 March.
Afghanistan has sent a delegation to Islamabad for the meeting but Pakistan’s Dawn News reported that Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was not present.
According to Dawn News, another IEA official, Muhammad Akbar Azeemi, is leading the Afghan delegation.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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