Qureshi says engagement with Afghanistan must not only continue but should be enhanced for multiple reasons 

ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (SABAH): Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi says the engagement with Afghanistan must not only continue but should be enhanced for multiple reasons.

Addressing a Troika Plus Meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi  said nobody wishes to see a relapse into civil war; no one wants an economic collapse that will spur instability; everyone wants terrorist elements operating inside Afghanistan to be tackled effectively and; we all want to prevent a new refugee crisis.

The Minister said all of us have common concerns related to Afghanistan and also have a shared interest in the country’s peace and stability. And to bring that about, is a shared responsibility.  

Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed confidence that Troika Plus’s engagement with the new Afghan government will help consolidate peace and stability, promote sustainable economic development and help constrict space for terrorist outfits operating from and within Afghanistan.

He said today, Afghanistan stands at the brink of an economic collapse. It is, therefore, imperative for the international community to buttress provision of humanitarian assistance on an urgent basis. He said health, education and municipal services require urgent attention.

The Foreign Minister said being an immediate neighbor, Pakistan has a direct stake in Afghanistan’s peace and stability. He said located next door, we have borne the brunt of four decades of conflict and instability in the shape of refugees, drugs and terrorism. He said I reaffirm my Prime Minister’s resolve to help Afghanistan on its path towards peace, progress and prosperity.