Qureshi, Khalilzad for inclusive Afghan settlement

FM urges the West 'to eschew the tendency to mould the Afghan society'

NEW YORK:

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad called on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi wherein they discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan and the continued need for an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s support for a broad-based and stable government in Afghanistan, which could be a credible development and security partner for the international community.

He expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and hoped that international community would support the Afghan people in order to prevent further instability in the region.

The foreign minister and Ambassador Khalilzad agreed that continued close coordination between Pakistan and the United States was critical to achieving a comprehensive and peaceful political settlement in Afghanistan.

Qureshi urged the West “to eschew the tendency to mould the Afghan society and body politic according to its own worldview” and stressed that the world should engage with the “new reality” in Afghanistan in an effort to promote peace and stability in the region.

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Qureshi was in New York on Tuesday to attend the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session this week. He wrote an Op-Ed piece for the CNN website, besides interacting with the UN-based correspondents to highlight Pakistan’s point of view on various issues.

“The international community needs to realise that the new order of things in Afghanistan is not something that can be wished away or rendered insignificant through polemics and grandstanding,” the foreign minister said in his Op-Ed, posted on CNN website.

Qureshi stressed the tide of Afghanistan’s history had shifted, however, he added, “we can usher in an era of stability in the region”. He said that Pakistan was in favour of an inclusive approach respectful of the multi-ethnic character of Afghan society.

“As if stricken by the proverbial Cassandra’s curse, Pakistan kept telling the arbiters of Afghanistan’s destiny that the Afghan conundrum did not lend itself to a military solution,” he said. “The challenge is to rise above the jostling of narratives to work for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.

He said that Pakistan had nothing to gain from increasing Afghanistan’s woes. He added blame games and unrealistic expectations tested Pakistan, but it remained steadfast in its commitment to stabilisation of Afghanistan.

“We also want to see an Afghanistan that is at peace with itself, with its neighbours, and with the world,” he said. “Like the rest of the international community, we want to ensure that Afghanistan never again turns into a sanctuary for terrorists.”

He pointed out that the pronouncements coming from the Taliban were reflective of a desire to establish peace, enhance stability, and work for reconciliation. “All of us should encourage and support those statements and signals,” he said.

“This would redound to the benefit of regional peace and stability, help combat narcotics trafficking, and prevent a serious refugee crisis which would bode ill, not only for the neighbouring countries … but also for the West,” he said. “The world must not abandon the Afghan people at this crucial juncture”.

Qureshi also shared the same thoughts, while talking to a group of UN-based correspondents at the United Nations. “The world should engage with the new reality in Afghanistan in an effort to promote peace and stability in the region, he emphasised.

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“Afghans have faced war in the last four decades,” the minister said. “Now there is hope for peace in Afghanistan, and the International community should not leave Afghans alone at this critical juncture,” the minister added.

Replying to a question, he said that recognition of the Taliban government was not an immediate priority. “The immediate priority is how to avert a humanitarian crisis … and if immediate attention was not paid, then there is every likelihood of that happening, and we don’t want that,” he added.

In this regard, Qureshi underscored the need for unfreezing billions of dollars in Afghan assets blocked by Western powers after the Taliban takeover, saying that the most urgent priority was averting an even deeper economic collapse that could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe.

“It’s Afghan money and it should be spent on Afghan people,” he said. “Freezing the assets is not helping the situation,” the foreign minister added and urged the powers that be that they should revisit that policy and move to unfreeze Afghan funds.

“If there’s chaos, terrorist organisations like ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] and their ilk will take advantage of that situation,” the foreign minister warned.

As an immediate neighbour, he said, Pakistan would suffer immensely. “There will be an influx of refugees, and frankly, we do not have the capacity to absorb more, we already have over 3 million registered and unregistered Afghans,” he said.

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Pressed further on the recognition, the foreign minister said Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers should understand that if they want recognition and assistance in rebuilding the country “they have to be more sensitive and more receptive to international opinion and norms.”

He added that countries are watching to see how things evolve in Afghanistan before considering recognition. “I don’t think anyone is in a rush to recognise at this stage.” He expresses the hope the Taliban would live up to their promise of allowing girls to go to school, college and university”.

Qureshi is in New York to lead Pakistan’s delegation to the 76th session of the General Assembly where the discussions are expected to be dominated by the situation in Afghanistan, climate change and the coronavirus crisis.

More than 100 heads of state and government will take part in the debate which began on Tuesday. Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the 193-member General Assembly on September 24 through the video link.