Tag: pak afghan relation

  • Nobody in a ‘rush’ to recognise Taliban govt says Foreign Minister Qureshi

    Nobody in a ‘rush’ to recognise Taliban govt says Foreign Minister Qureshi

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during a meeting with the United Nations (UN) press representatives, said, “I don’t think anybody is in a rush to recognise the Taliban at this stage and they [Taliban] should keep an eye on that.”

    The minister who is in New York for five days to attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), stated that the world is watching Afghanistan. If they [Taliban] want recognition they have to be more sensitive and more open to international opinion, he added.

    He insisted on stating that Afghanistan should have an inclusive government in order to have stability and peace in the region, and expressed hope that the Afghan Taliban would live up to their promise to allow girls and women in educational institutions.

    Moreover, he urged the United States and other countries that have frozen money from the former Afghan government to release it because “that’s Afghan money that should be spent on Afghan people”.

    “I think freezing the assets is not helping the situation. I would strongly urge the powers that be that they should revisit that policy and think of an unfreeze,” Shah told reporters.

    According to an official statement issued by the Foreign Office, Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the UNGA via a video link on September 24th.

  • Afghanistan calls back ambassador, others after abduction of ambassador’s daughter

    Afghanistan on Sunday called back its ambassador and all senior diplomats from Islamabad following the abduction of Ambassador Alikhel’s daughter.

    “Following the abduction of the Afghan Ambassador’s daughter in Pakistan, the Leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan called back Afghanistan’s Ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan until all security threats are addressed including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of abduction,” the statement said.

    “An Afghan delegation will visit Pakistan soon to assess and follow up on the case and all related issues; subsequent actions will follow based on the findings.”

    Pakistan’s Foreign Office reacted to Afghanistan’s decision: “The decision by the Government of Afghanistan to recall its Ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan is unfortunate and regrettable,” said the FO.

    “The reported abduction and assault of Afghan Ambassador’s daughter are being investigated and followed-up at the highest level on the instructions of PM,” the statement added further.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has claimed that the Afghan ambassador’s daughter was not abducted and that it is an Indian conspiracy. He was speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Naya Pakistan’.

    Earlier on Sunday, while addressing a press conference, Sheikh Rasheed said that the case will be resolved soon adding, “Afghanistan’s ambassador’s daughter took a cab to Khadda Market for shopping.”

    “We also have footage of her getting out of a taxi at a Rawalpindi shopping mall,” he added. The interior minister further said that a first information report has been registered.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says he has scheduled a phone call with the Afghan foreign minister tomorrow and hopes the Afghan government will review its stance.

    On July 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan released a statement stating: “On July 16, the daughter of the Afghan Ambassador to Islamabad, Ms Silsila Alikhil, was ‘abducted’ for several hours and ‘severely tortured’ by unknown individuals on her way home.”

    Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered an inquiry into the incident.