ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, on Thursday, welcomed the UN Security Council resolution to provide aid to Afghanistan and the United States decision about exempting American and UN officials doing permitted business with the Taliban from US sanctions to help ease aid flow to Afghan people.
In a tweet, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi described these as two important developments happening in the backdrop of the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers hosted by Pakistan on December 19, 2021.
“Following #OICInPakistan, welcome 2 imp devts in support of Afghan people:@UNSC resolution to provide aid to Afghanistan, supporting basic needs. The US exemption on US/UN officials doing permitted business w/ Taliban from US sanctions, to help ease aid flow,” Qureshi said in a tweet.
“Pakistan welcomes the adoption, by consensus, of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2615, that has reaffirmed that provision of humanitarian and other assistance to people of Afghanistan is not a violation of the Security Council Sanctions regime,” said Foreign Office in a statement.
It stated that the resolution comes at a critical time, and reflects the sense of urgency felt by the international community to help the Afghan people, who have suffered immensely due to decades of conflict.
“This sentiment was also reflected in the Resolution adopted unanimously by the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers hosted by Pakistan last week. The OIC CFM, chaired by Pakistan, unequivocally calls for swift roll out of all possible humanitarian, recovery, reconstruction, development, technical and material assistance to Afghanistan,” it added.
It stated the resolution passed by the UN Security Council is a step in the right direction towards helping the Afghan people in dire need. As called for by the OIC, pathways should now be found towards revitalising the Afghan economy and unfreezing of the assets that rightfully belong to the Afghan people, it added.
The statement further noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his keynote address to the OIC-CFM, had stated that sanctions should not prevent the international community from providing humanitarian and other essential assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
“Pakistan hopes that the international community, especially the donor countries, UN Agencies, humanitarian organizations, international financial institutions and other emergency relief providers, will act swiftly and with determination, to provide all possible assistance to the people of Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office further stated.
Earlier in a tweet, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, thanked Pakistan for hosting the OIC-CFM and inviting international community for the moot to continue supporting the Afghan people.
“The OIC Extraordinary Session on Afghanistan is a prime example of our collective determination and action to help those most in-need. We thank Pakistan for hosting this vital meeting & inviting the global community to continue cooperating to support the Afghan people,” Secretary Blinken stated in a tweet.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021