Photo courtesy ISPR
In meeting with Army chief, U.S. special representative for Afghanistan hails Islamabad for organizing moot on prevailing situation in war-torn state
United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West on Monday appreciated Pakistan’s role in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Kabul and pledged to work toward improving diplomatic cooperation between Washington and Islamabad at all levels.
During a meeting with Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, West credited Pakistan for its “special efforts” to effectively manage the Pak-Afghan border, read a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). It said that the two dignitaries’ discussion revolved around matters of mutual interest, the prevailing security situation in Afghanistan, and opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
“The COAS said that the world and the region cannot afford an unstable Afghanistan,” said the military’s media wing, adding that he had stressed upon West that global convergence was required to avert a looming humanitarian crisis. Gen. Bajwa also thanked the special representative for participating in the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
West also hailed Pakistan’s efforts for organizing the OIC moot on Afghanistan.
Separately, a senior State Department official met Islamabad-based journalists working with foreign media organizations and informed them that the U.S. would show greater flexibility toward financial sanctions that have been imposed on Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover. This, he said, would allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged country.
The U.S. has frozen around $9.5 billion Afghan assets held by it, which has been cited as a key reason for the economic collapse of Afghanistan. The official said that these funds could not be unfrozen as they involved court cases. He also implied that the U.S. might not be able to offer much support to help avert the looming humanitarian crisis and urged the global community to work together to resolve the situation.
On Sunday, following the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, the participants pledged to work with the U.N. to help unlock frozen Afghan assets. In a joint resolution, they said that the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of next year and urged the Taliban to fulfill their “obligations under international human rights covenants, especially with regards to the rights of women, children, youth, elderly and people with special needs.”