Dar urges OIC to keep Afghanistan on regional peace agenda

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Contact Group on Afghanistan in New York on Tuesday that the situation in Afghanistan demanded continued attention, particularly because of its implications for regional peace, security and stability, Dawn reported.

Dar was addressing the contact group on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He recalled that August 2021 had been a watershed moment, when United States troops withdrew from Afghanistan and the Afghan Taliban returned to power. Dawn did not provide further details of his remarks in its initial report.

In Islamabad on Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq told a European Parliamentary delegation that neighbouring Afghanistan had become a hub of terrorism in the region, Daily Times reported. He said sophisticated weapons left behind by NATO forces in Afghanistan were being used against innocent Pakistani citizens and the country’s security forces.

Sadiq was meeting a delegation led by Mary Khan, a member of the European Parliament, at Parliament House. He said terrorism emanating from Afghan territory remained a major challenge for Pakistan, and that Pakistan had hosted Afghan refugees for four decades while continuing to desire peace and stability in the region.

The speaker said Pakistan had demonstrated restraint in response to recent unprovoked Indian aggression and remained committed to the peaceful resolution of Kashmir. Daily Times quoted him as saying the world had appreciated the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for promoting global peace, dialogue and stability.

Sadiq also proposed the establishment of a Pakistan-European Union Parliamentary Friendship Group to strengthen parliamentary relations. He said Pakistan contributed less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but was severely affected by climate change, and urged the international community to act. The European delegation described the Pakistani nation as resilient and peace-loving and thanked the speaker for the hospitality, Daily Times reported.