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UN agency warns of ‘real risk’ of human catastrophe in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with a very real risk of systemic collapse and human catastrophe, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated Monday.
In 2023, a staggering 28.3 million people (two thirds of Afghanistan’s population) will need urgent humanitarian assistance in order to survive as the country enters its third consecutive year of drought-like conditions and the second year of crippling economic decline, while still reeling from the effects of 40 years of conflict and recurrent natural disasters, OCHA said in a new report.
“Afghanistan’s economic crisis is widespread, with more than half of households experiencing an economic shock in the last six months,” OCHA stated adding that 17 million people face acute hunger in 2023, including 6 million people at emergency levels of food insecurity, one step away from famine – and one of the highest figures worldwide.
The report stated that within the broader humanitarian access environment, participation in the humanitarian response has deteriorated for Afghan women staff since August 2021. Amid a growing set of restrictions curtailing their basic rights and freedoms, women humanitarian workers face increasingly restrictive challenges affecting their ability to travel to beneficiaries.
“The 24 December 2022 directive barring women from working for national or international NGOs will have a devastating humanitarian impact on millions of people across the country and will prevent millions of vulnerable women and girls from receiving services and life-saving assistance,” OCHA said.
There are needs in every province of the country, with extreme need in 33 out of 34 provinces and 27 out of 34 major cities/provincial capitals with the rest in severe need, indicating how widespread the crisis is across the country, the report stated.
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EU Parliament condemns governments that uphold IEA by normalizing relations
The European Union Parliament on Thursday in an adopted resolution on the human rights situation in Afghanistan condemned the countries that uphold the Islamic Emirate by normalizing relations.
EU Parliament also criticized the new law of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced recently by the Islamic Emirate.
EU has also demanded new sanctions against the IEA.
The resolution stated: “MEPs want the EU to support the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and call for Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to be held accountable, through the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation and the establishment of a UN Independent Investigative Mechanism.”
The resolution, however, urges the EU and donor states to increase humanitarian aid and funding to support basic needs, livelihoods and Afghan civil society.
The resolution was adopted by 565 votes in favor, 8 against and 43 abstentions.
In the meantime, IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said that the imposition of sanctions and pressure by some countries on the caretaker government has failed as in the past and the Afghan government wants positive interaction with all countries of the world.
“The European Union is experiencing the failed ways that they have already taken this path and have not gotten results,” said Mujahid.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers positive interaction as the only solution to all problems,” he added.
Earlier, the UN Security Council also expressed serious concern about the implementation of IEA's Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law in a meeting regarding the situation in Afghanistan.
IEA, however, regarding the criticisms of the implementation of vice and virtue said that this law was compiled based on Islamic Sharia and considered opposing it as a contradiction with Islamic Sharia.
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IEA tells religious scholars to avoid talks on controversial topics
The statement said that “those scholars who incite disputes, promote superstitions, and use inappropriate words in the media” should not be invited to events.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Friday called on scholars to avoid discussing controversial topics that cause agitation among the ordinary people.
A statement issued by the office of the Prime Minister states that scholars should avoid discussing “rare” issues that could cause misguidance among some and that ordinary people cannot understand.
The statement added that "some of the strange issues whose occurrence is not common should not be expressed in mosques and public gatherings, because the enemies of Islam make fun of such issues."
IEA also called on preachers and teachers to avoid publishing "specialized, complex and detailed academic and sufi topics in the media" because they are "special" and for "special audiences".
The statement said that "those scholars who incite disputes, promote superstitions, and use inappropriate words in the media" should not be invited to events.
“Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to create discord, division, strife, and misguidance and it will take serious actions to prevent them,” the statement said.
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Pakistani minister calls for increased foreign aid for Afghan refugees
He emphasized the need for optimal utilization of resources to effectively achieve the objectives of the Commissionorate of Afghan Refugees.
Pakistan's Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Kashmir Affairs, and Gilgit Baltistan, Amir Muqam, has called on the international community to increase funding and support for Afghan refugees.
Speaking at a meeting held at the office of the Commissioner of Afghan Refugees in Karachi, Muqam said that Afghan refugees' needs are growing and require substantial resources.
He emphasized the need for optimal utilization of resources to effectively achieve the objectives of the Commissionorate of Afghan Refugees.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration to ensure the safety and dignity of refugees within our borders,” Muqam stated.
Pakistan hosts 1.45 million registered Afghan refugees.
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