Pakistan to host 57-country international meeting on Afghanistan today

Pakistan is set to host a special meeting of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and navigate its way out of an emerging humanitarian and economic crisis.

In addition to the members of the OIC, delegations from the US, Russia, Britain, the European Union, the World Bank and humanitarian organizations have also been invited to the conference.

The OIC-led conference will be the biggest international gathering on Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in mid-August following US military drawdown from the country after two decades.

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This meeting comes at a time when Pakistan is rallying 57-member OIC to help Afghanistan stave off a crisis while at the same time trying to convince the Taliban led Afghanistan to soften its image abroad.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi earlier this month made a formal announcement for the OIC meeting stating that the purpose of the summit was to avert a humanitarian crisis rearing its head in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal.

On Saturday, Qureshi said that countries participating in the 17th extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will be able to reach a consensus on measures to improve the situation in Afghanistan.

Speaking with the media, he said that the world “seemed to be reaching consensus” on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and added that the country’s economy was reeling from the effects of a non-functioning banking system, Dawn newspaper reported.

More than 100 days have passed since the Taliban seized control over Afghanistan, but the outfit is yet to be recognized by any country in the world.

Respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community.

Moreover, Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. Billions of dollars worth of the country’s assets abroad, mostly in the US, have been frozen and international funding to the country has ceased.

• Pakistan