A foreign ministry statement said Shah Mahmood Qureshi made these remarks on Wednesday while chairing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of six neighboring countries of Afghanistan with the presence of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad.
The virtual gathering was attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as well as their counterparts from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Qureshi initially expressed satisfaction with the positive response of neighboring countries to attend the meeting with the aim of developing a regional approach to the Afghan issue.
“I also thank our Special Representatives/Envoys who worked hard to lay a strong foundation for our meeting,” he said.
Referring to his consultations with the Chinese Foreign Minister and his visit to four neighboring countries of Afghanistan last month, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said: The Taliban has announced the interim government in Afghanistan and we are monitoring this development.
“The events of the past few weeks have catapulted our region to a global spotlight. How the situation evolves will have profound implications for Afghanistan, our region, and the world at large,” he said.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi stated: We hope that the political situation stabilizes at the earliest, leading to normalcy. The new situation requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach.
“At the center of our endeavors must remain the well-being of the Afghan people, who have suffered enormously due to conflict and instability for over 40 years,” he added.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister reiterated the consultations with Afghanistan's neighbors would help bringing security situation along the borders, prevention of Afghan soil from being used by terrorist entities, possibility of fresh influx of refugees, containing drug trafficking and transnational crimes, stemming any spread of extremist elements, challenges relating to COVID-19 pandemic and impediments to regional connectivity,
He continued neighboring countries agree that if peace is established in Afghanistan, there are many benefits for the region and the surrounding countries including secure borders, end of threat of terrorism from Afghan soil, possibilities of return of refugees, economic stability and improvement in living standards, realization of connectivity projects and enhanced regional economic integration.
He said to advance our common vision of a peaceful, stable, prosperous and inter-connected region, Afghanistan must be enabled to get through this testing time and realize its full potential.
“In our view, there are several key principles and priorities that should guide the efforts in this direction: First, we must affirm our full support and solidarity with the Afghan people, second, we must reaffirm our full commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, third, we must stress that Afghan issues should have Afghan solutions, fourth, we must make clear that Afghan soil should not be allowed to be used against any country, fifth, we must underscore the multi-ethnic nature of Afghan society and stress the importance of national reconciliation,” said Qureshi.
He stressed that in order to advance the common vision of neighboring countries for a peaceful, stable, prosperous and interconnected region, Afghanistan must be enabled to pass this test and use its full potential.
He viewed in the wake of recent developments the key priorities are to prevent a humanitarian crisis that can exacerbate the sufferings of the Afghans.
“If a humanitarian crisis is prevented and economic stability is assured, then peace can be consolidated and a mass exodus precluded,” said the minister.
He said it cannot be stressed enough that this requires enhanced engagement of the international community, particularly at this pivotal juncture.
“I also suggest that we may give consideration to the idea to invite Afghanistan in future,” he stated.
He said participation of Afghanistan will augment this forum’s effectiveness in pursuing our shared objectives for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“The neighboring countries have a direct stake in the stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
Foreign Minister Qureshi said our collective voice to the international community will reinforce our message of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbors.
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