Pakistan foreign minister calls on OIC for collective efforts to help Afghan people
Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday urged for a collective response and proposed a six-point strategy to help Afghanistan stave off the economic and humanitarian crisis.
Pakistan is hosting the 17th extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Corporation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, called by Saudi Arabia, to rally Islamic and other countries to help Afghanistan where millions are facing extreme hunger and harsh winter and economic meltdown.
At the OIC summit, Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi proposed a six-point framework for the OIC to help the Afghan people.
Pakistan suggested creating a channel within the OIC to send immediate and sustained humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan people.
Secondly, “We should agree to increase investment in the people of Afghanistan, bilaterally or through the OIC, in areas such as education, health and technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth,” Qureshi said.
Pakistan foreign minister also suggested that a group of experts comprising the OIC, the United Nations and international financial institutions should be set up to facilitate Afghanistan access to banking services, and ease the liquidity challenges faced by the Afghan people.
OIC members should lead the efforts to enhance food security for the Afghan people, he added.
Detailing the fifth point, he suggested investment in “capacity building of Afghan institutions in countering terrorism and combating illicit trade in narcotics.”
Finally, Qureshi said, the OIC needed to engage with Afghan authorities “to help meet the expectations of the international community regarding political and social inclusivity, respect for human rights, especially the rights of women and girls and combating terrorism.”
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Oman, Kuwait, Indonesia and Malaysia are attending the summit. Nearly 70 delegations from OIC member states, and representatives from the UN, European Union, US, UK, China, Russia, Germany and France are also attending the summit.