Qureshi confident of OIC moot's success

Top diplomat says moot will evolve consensus to avert humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) moot in Islamabad will be “historic” as he expressed hopes that the conference will succeed in evolving a consensus on Afghanistan.

He made these remarks while talking to the media after examining the arrangements for the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC slated to take place at Parliament House today.

“We are at the threshold of history. If we take the right step, it can bring in regional, peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. God forbids, if we showed negligence, or not took the timely decision, then Afghanistan can face a new crisis,” the foreign minister warned.

Qureshi said that concrete and timely steps were required for the return of peace and stability in Afghanistan, adding that the moot of OIC foreign ministers was being held to bring the Afghan crisis into the limelight.

He said the moot, among other developments over the past month, was proof that the world was paying heed to Pakistan’s stance on the prevailing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

“From the very first day, Pakistan apprised the world about the looming humanitarian crisis and that the situation could also lead to an economic collapse if the banking system remained dysfunctional for long,” Qureshi said.

The minister said the objectives behind hosting the moot were to attract the world's attention towards the food shortage, the plight of the Afghan children, and the financial difficulties faced by the war-torn country.

“Today, the world seems to be getting convinced on this. Around 11 NATO commanders who had served in Afghanistan are also pointing toward this. The ambassadors, who served in Kabul and are fully cognisant of the ground realities, have written in their Op-eds asking the Biden administration to review its policy,” he said.

Qureshi said Pakistan had been calling the world not to show any indifference and many voices were joining it, including from the European Union.

“Around 39 US Congress Representatives have written a letter to US Secretary of State Blinken, saying it is our responsibility and moral obligation to avert the humanitarian crisis [in Afghanistan]. New thinking is emerging and this is the very objective of this extraordinary conference,” he said.

‘Moot part of Pakistan’s efforts to support Afghanistan’

In a meeting with Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day, FM Qureshi told his Afghan counterpart that the moot was part of Pakistan’s efforts to support its Afghan brethren and to urge the world to not repeat mistakes.

Speaking to the media upon his arrival earlier, Muttaqi said a stable Afghanistan was important for regional and global peace. He assured that Afghan land will not be allowed to be used against any other country.

Qureshi welcomes GCC secretary-general

Later, the top diplomat received Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf in Islamabad.

During the meeting, issues of common interest including the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country came under discussion.