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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.
The Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan announced Thursday it will provide emergency relief to flood-hit people in northern Afghanistan.
According to a statement issued by the embassy, relief will be provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS).
This relief includes tents, blankets and other essential items.
According to the statement, “Japan has decided to provide emergency assistance to Afghanistan to support people affected by the flood. We will always stand by the people of Afghanistan.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has meanwhile reported that 8,975 homes were destroyed or damaged by floods in Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Takhar provinces following heavy rains.
Russia also pledged help if needed, while the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) appealed to Islamic countries and aid organizations to step in to help the flood victims.
Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov held talks with India’s external affairs minister JP Singh to discuss the situation in the country.
Kabulov met with Singh during a visit to India.
In a post on X, India’s external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “India and Russia held bilateral consultations on Afghanistan today in New Delhi.
“Amb. Zamir Kabulov, Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan, and JP Singh, Joint Secretary (PAI) discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and emphasized on the need to provide development assistance for the welfare of the Afghan people,” he said.
An official at the Russian embassy said Kabulov held talks with Singh under the framework of India-Russia foreign ministerial consultations on Afghanistan.
New Delhi has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.
In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a technical team in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
The Islamic Emirate says that due to the diplomatic efforts of the IEA, a good spirit of cooperation has been formed in the region towards Afghanistan, and the countries have understood that stable security and stability in Afghanistan is in the interest of all countries.
Zhao Xing, the Chinese Ambassador to Kabul, has invited political deputy prime minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir to participate in the upcoming Trans-Himalayan Forum meeting.
The Chinese envoy said at a meeting Wednesday with Kabir that Beijing supports the Islamic Emirate in terms of attending international meetings, especially UN Security Council meetings.
Zhao also said China was committed to cooperating with the Islamic Emirate.
Kabir in turn expressed his gratitude for China’s support and cooperation across numerous sectors and said that as a responsible government, the Islamic Emirate is bound by commitments made and tries to play an active role in regional issues and the stability and development of the region.
Kabir also acknowledged China’s support of the Islamic Emirate and said Beijing’s cooperation can bring about positive changes and economic growth in the country.
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