OIC chief terms moot on Afghanistan 'great success'

Taha says humanitarian fund set up, special envoy for Afghan appointed

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha on Monday said the OIC meeting regarding Afghanistan held in Islamabad a day ago was “very successful”.

Addressing media persons in the federal capital before his departure, the OIC chief said he was grateful to the people and government of Pakistan for their hospitality.

The moot was a success as the OIC managed to appoint a senior official as a special envoy to Afghanistan, he said, adding that Tarig Ali Bakheet will coordinate with Afghan and international stakeholders to avert the looming disaster in the war-torn country.

Bakheet made his first contact with the Afghan delegation yesterday, the OIC general-secretary added.

He said a humanitarian fund to support Afghanistan was also set up. He expressed hope that the whole world will play a role in providing funds for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

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Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib said the OIC moot will open a new chapter of engagement with Afghanistan. The minister expressed hope that decisions made in the meeting will be implemented.

Grim situation in Afghanistan

The OIC member countries, which were gathered to assess the current humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, were confronted with a grim scenario by a senior UN official. UN Relief Chief Martin Griffiths, who delivered the address on behalf of the global body’s secretary-general, gave a startling presentation about the nightmare scenario in Afghanistan.

“[Around] 23 million people are already facing hunger. Health facilities are overflowing with malnourished children. Some 70 percent of teachers are not getting paid and millions of children, Afghanistan future, are out of school,” Martin said.

He maintained that the Afghan economy was on free fall -- something that would take down the entire population. The UN representative also warned that as per the UN Development Programme, 97% of the Afghan population could slip below the poverty line by June next year if urgent steps were not taken to mitigate their sufferings.