ISLAMABAD:Foreign Minister Makhoodm Shah Mahmood Qureshi has once again urged the international community to engage with the new reality in Afghanistan and unfreeze the assets so that things did not fall apart.
Appearing in Al-Jazeera talk show programme, the foreign minister said they have been urging the ‘international community to engage with the new reality in Afghanistan, so that things do not fall apart and so that there is semblance of order’.
The foreign minister expressing his view over freezing of about $10billion in Afghan assets said “Afghan needs an economic injection and that money could become handy if available. Unfreeze it and make it available for the Afghan people. There is a humanitarian crises in the making and use that money to address the crises.”
He suggested that there could be ways and means to ensure that the money be reached to the needy and not misused and in this connection, the UN could play a role.
Foreign minister Qureshi, to a query replied, that it certainly concerned them if there was a total economic collapse in Afghanistan.
“The collapse could lead to exodus, a huge influx of refugees moving in different directions towards, Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan. It could destabilize the entire region. And we are very concerned about that,” he elaborated his point of view.
He further said the economic collapse could give space to terrorists. It would have serious consequences not only for Pakistan but for the entire region. The consequences could roll out of the region, he cautioned.
To a query, Qureshi said that there was uncertainty when Taliban took control of the government on August 15, but the anxiety had gone down due to the reasons that there was no bloodshed and chances of major civil war had been averted.
Moreover, there was announcement of general amnesty and commitment by Taliban that there would be no revenge. There was more calmness, he added.
“So I don’t think people are restless at the moment, but yes, things remain uncertain and if not some challenges are not addressed—taken rigidly, they can take the different turn,” the foreign minister opined.
About recognizing Taliban set up by Pakistan, the foreign minister said “We are watching and observing as the things unfold and we will take a decision at an appropriate time”.
About US’s invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11, the foreign minister observed that perhaps, they had no choice as there was compulsion due to public opinion.
He said the US should have focused on what they had after disseminating Al-Qaeda network. They should have worked towards a reconciliation, peace and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
“The country could have gone to normal. The bulk of the money had been spent on security and less on development. The government of Ashraf Ghani lost credibility because the Afghan people felt that life under them was not improved and not secured. There was squabbling and infighting and they were not certain about their future,” he added.