Qureshi calls for 'urgent action' on humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

FM meets UN chief; says Blinken listened to Pakistan’s viewpoint respectfully

UNITED NATIONS:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday night, the objective of his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this week was to remove misunderstandings between the two sides and that the talks were held in a “good” atmosphere.

Qureshi wrapped up his five-day trip to New York at the head of Pakistan’s delegation to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, with his meetings with Secretary General Guterres and General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes on the last day.

Speaking with the Pakistani new media representatives at the end of his visit, Qureshi said that he was satisfied with his talks with a number of his counterparts and heads of international organisations on global and regional problems, especially Kashmir and Afghanistan.

Among the dozens of meetings, the foreign minister had at the United Nations, was Qureshi’s first face-to-face interaction with the US secretary, with whom he had exchange views for over an hour.

Read More: Pakistan calls for 'positive engagement’ with Afghanistan via ‘practical steps’

When asked by the reporters about the meeting, Qureshi said that the atmosphere at the meeting was “good”, adding that the objective was to remove misunderstandings. “Secretary Blinken was respectful and he listened to Pakistan’s viewpoint at length, and then he put forward his views,” he said.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said that Secretary Blinken appreciated Pakistan’s support for the evacuation of US citizens and other nationals from Afghanistan, and its continued efforts for peace in the region.

Responding to another question, Qureshi said they had a discussion about the move to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan. In this regard, he added, he had suggested that engagement with the Taliban, persuasion and patience would help accomplish the objective.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wide-ranging address to the 193-member General Assembly was constructive and statesman-like, especially his call for a probe in to the reasons that led to the collapse of Afghanistan’s Ashraf Ghani’s government and the return of Taliban to powers.

He also said that the prime minister exposed Indian propaganda about Jammu and Kashmir. He also referred to Pakistan’s recently released comprehensive and well-researched dossier containing the entire range of human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The foreign minister said he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting of OIC’s Contact Group in which his counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan participated and reaffirmed their stand on the Kashmir dispute.

Read Don’t repeat past mistakes, Qureshi tells Blinken

Earlier, during the meeting with Guterres, Qureshi urged the UN secretary general to implement a roadmap to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan and called for measure to stem the rising tide of intolerance, discrimination, violence and Islamophobia.

Qureshi also presented the secretary general a dossier on the widespread human rights violations; war crimes and genocidal acts being perpetrated by Indian occupation forces; and illegal attempts to change the demographic structure of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The foreign minister briefed the UN secretary general on the grave situation in IIOJK and highlighted the illegal Indian moves in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the international law, according to a Foreign Office statement in Islamabad.

On Afghanistan, Qureshi urged positive engagement and requisite action by the international community to provide humanitarian assistance and financial support to Afghan people in order to promote peace and stability in the country.

Qureshi and Guterres were of the view that unconditional humanitarian assistance as well as financial support should be provided to the Afghan people to prevent humanitarian and economic disasters. Qureshi suggested the implementation of a roadmap to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The foreign minister underscored the need for stemming the rising tide of intolerance, discrimination, violence and Islamophobia. He also called for ending vaccine inequity and ensuring adequate financing for developing countries to enable them to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the meeting with UNGA President Abdulla Shahid, the discussion focused on the urgent need to effectively address the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, talking to the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Wilmes, Qureshi stressed the need for further enhancing the political, investment and trade relations between the two countries. Wilmes appreciated Pakistan’s support in the evacuation of the Belgian nationals from Afghanistan.

(APP WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)