Islamabad, August 17, 2021 (PPI-OT):GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I would like to speak to you today about the situation in Afghanistan. As you know we had requested participation in this Security Council meeting but, unfortunately, as was the case. On the last occasion, Pakistan was denied the opportunity to address the council. This is most regrettable because we believe that Pakistan has an important contribution to make at this important and vital juncture in the destiny of Afghanistan and the stability and peace in our region, says a press release received here today from New York.

India’s partisan and obstructionist actions are an illustration of the hatred for Pakistan which exists in India and their pique that their plan to continue the conflict in Afghanistan and to continue sponsorship of terrorism against Pakistan from Afghanistan could be neutralized once peace is restored throughout Afghanistan.

We are not surprised by India’s anti-Pakistan partisanship. This confirms Pakistan’s long-held contention that India does not deserve to be on the Security Council, much less to aspire to become a permanent member of the council. It is the violation of the resolutions of the Security Council and is in the process of conducting a campaign of genocide against the people of Jammu and Kashmir, with 900,000 troops deployed in the occupied territory.

While blocking Pakistan and other neighbors of Afghanistan from addressing the council, the representative of a now defunct regime of Afghanistan was invited to speak to the council. There was considerable pathos in this spectacle. Ambassador Isaczai is an esteemed colleague; but the person who appointed him here recently, has fled Afghanistan to cause a betrayal from some of his ministers and the army chief. It is unclear, therefore, on whose behalf ambassador isaczai participated in the Security Council. Ladies and gentlemen, If we were allowed to speak to the council today.

I would have first of all informed the council of the meeting of the national security committee of Pakistan, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, where the overall situation in Afghanistan was discussed. Pakistan has been a victim of decades, conflict in Afghanistan and we desire peace and stability in our neighbourhood. The world knows of the sacrifices that we have made in our meeting today, the Pakistan stance that the conflict in Afghanistan, never had a military solution was confirmed.

The ideal time to end the conflict through negotiations, might have been when the US and NATO troops were at a maximum military strength in Afghanistan. Continuation of foreign military presence for a longer duration now, would not have yielded any positive outcome.

Therefore, endorsement by the bidden administration of the previous us administrations decision of troop withdrawal was indeed a logical conclusion to this conflict. It is now time for the international community to work together to ensure an inclusive political settlement for a long-term peace, security, and development of afghanistan. Ladies and gentlemen, Pakistan is making active efforts to promote an inclusive political settlement in afghanistan.

We at our invitation, the leadership of a number of political parties and groups in afghanistan, representing all the multi ethnic groups, apart from the Pashtu’s are present in islamabad and have met with our foreign minister, and with our leadership today. They have promised to engage continuously with the taliban, and to try to evolve, and inclusive, afghan government. Pakistan will work with them and with the taliban representatives to advance this objective and objective of an inclusive political government, which is important for durable peace and stability in afghanistan.

If we had spoken in the council we would have also informed the council of the efforts we are making to facilitate the safe evacuation of diplomats, representatives of international organization, and others from afghanistan. Pakistan’s foreign secretary today briefed the diplomatic corps in islamabad, that the embassy of pakistan in kabul, will continue to facilitate visas for diplomats and other international personnel, whenever needed arrangements will be made for issuing visas to such people on arrival.

A facilitation center has been set up in our ministry of interior, to ensure the expeditious processing of visas and other requirements to enable the smooth, and timely evacuation from Kabul. We will try to mount a series of flights to Kabul airport as soon as conditions allow in order to continue the evacuation which we have already started earlier today, we have evacuated a number of people from the danish embassy, 421 afghan employees of the danish embassy which we are evacuating from Kabul.

Thirdly, Pakistan has called upon all afghan parties, including the Taliban to ensure the preservation of law and order in Kabul and elsewhere. Our immediate priority should be aimed at the maintenance of law and order and safety and security of all Afghans civilians, especially women and children, fundamental human rights must be upheld, all civilian property and infrastructure must be protected. There must be complete respect for human rights and international humanitarian law and we support the statement of the secretary general in this regard.

Fourthly, the safety and security of the diplomatic community and premises, as well as well as UN personnel humanitarian workers and other international staff is paramount. There is need to urgently address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan Unama.

We hope will make an evaluation of the humanitarian needs of the afghan people. We urge the un secretary general to report as soon as possible on the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, in order to mobilize emergency help through ocha and other international agencies. We call on all afghan parties to ensure unhindered access and humanitarian aid across Afghanistan as well as to ensure the safety and security of un personnel and humanitarian workers, Pakistan will facilitate such operations.

Ladies and gentlemen, Apart from these immediate actions, the international community should look ahead to other steps, designed to promote durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. The infrastructure destroyed in this long conflict, needs to be reconstructed, including the transport infrastructure, which can enable Afghanistan to serve as a hub for regional trade and commerce.

The international community also needs to engage with the new authorities in Afghanistan, to eliminate the threat posed by terrorist organizations which have used Afghanistan’s territory with the sponsorship of the intelligence agencies of some of our neighbours for attacks and sabotage against Pakistan, and other neighbours of Afghanistan, groups such as ISIL-K (daesh), TTP, JUA, RTIM, and IMU.

These are all organizations, which must be contained, and their activities, constrained, eliminated from the territory of Afghanistan. Ladies and gentlemen, that is what i had to say, open to your questions.

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