ISLAMABAD: As senior officials of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries met on Saturday to prepare for the ministerial session on Afghanistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed the hope that the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the 57-member Muslim bloc would focus spotlight on humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

“I welcome delegations from OIC member states, observers, friends, partners & international organisations to Pakistan. The extraordinary session of OIC CFMs is an expression of solidarity with the Afghan people and to focus our collective energies on addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan,” Mr Khan tweeted.

The prime minister would speak at the inaugural session of the CFM on Sunday (today).

Foreign ministers of about 20 countries would attend the meeting, while 10 other countries are being represented by their deputy ministers. The rest have sent senior officials for the session.

Moreover, officials of the United Nations, global financial institutions, international and regional organisations and important non-OIC countries like Japan and Germany have also been invited.

Officials discuss agenda of meeting; Indonesian FM, German envoy call on army chief

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during a visit to the parliament building where the meeting is being held, said: “It is hoped that this extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers, being held in the context of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, will yield positive results.”

He said that Pakistan had already been warning about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and it looks that the world is finally realising the gravity of the situation.

Mr Qureshi expressed the hope that the CFM could deve­lop a consensus on the strategy for dealing with the crisis.

Meanwhile, senior officials of OIC member countries met here to deliberate on the agenda and working plan for the CFM meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, OIC Assistant Secretary Gene­ral Humanitarian Affairs Tarig Bakheet said: “It is crucial for the international community to take swift action to ensure that the people of Afghanistan have unimpeded access to life-saving assistance, and the humanitarian support needs to be scaled up.”

He said: “The OIC humanitarian office in Kabul will assume its responsibility in coordination with the various international agencies in delivering the required assistance to the millions of people in need.”

He hoped that OIC members along with other international partners would take necessary steps to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Afghanistan in which millions of lives are at stake.

FM Qureshi met with his counterparts from Turkmenistan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Indonesia. He also met with Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf.

Meetings with army chief

Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghan situation and regional stability and its special efforts for border management, reports APP.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, enhanced defence and security cooperation, regional security, current situation in Afghanistan and collaboration or partnership in humanitarian measures were discussed, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.

Speaking on the occasion, the COAS said that Pakistan valued Indonesia’s role in global and regional affairs and looked forward to enhance bilateral relationship.

The army chief stressed upon the urgency for swiftly devising an institutional mechanism for channelling humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe.

He underscored the importance of peace and reconciliation initiatives in Afghanistan.

Gen Bajwa emphasised that peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute was essential for stability in South Asia. He reiterated that Pakistan wanted cordial ties with all its neighbours in pursuit of regional peace and prosperity.

The visiting dignitary pledged to play her part for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

Special Representative of Germany for Afghanistan and Pakistan Jasper Wieck called on Gen Bajwa and appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghan situation and regional stability and special efforts for border management.

Speaking on the occasion, the army chief said that the world could ill afford to have an unstable Afghanistan prone to economic collapse. He stressed upon the need for global convergence and sincere efforts to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan.

He underscored the importance of peace and reconciliation initiatives in Afghanistan.

The German envoy pledged to play his role for further improvement in Germany’s diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021