Saudi Arabia calls for urgent OIC meeting on Afghanistan crisis ahead of winters: Report

Saudi Arabia has called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to urgently conduct a ministerial meeting to review the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and possible responses ahead of winters. Meanwhile, Pakistan has proposed to host the meeting on December 17 in Islamabad, reported Arab News citing Saudi Press Agency. The Kingdom hopes that the meeting will lead to the development of appropriate methods and mechanisms for delivering aid to Afghans. It also hopes for coordination of procedures with relevant UN agencies, international financial institutions, and the international community to reduce the humanitarian impact and help relieve the suffering of people in the war-torn country. 

According to the Kingdom, the meeting will also provide an opportunity to exhibit a collective stance on key principles. These include working to ensure Afghanistan's security and stability, as well as to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity, free of external intervention. The Kingdom also calls to ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a safe haven for terrorist and extremist groups, the report stated. The meeting also intends to call on Afghanistan's interim government to be more inclusive, to follow international standards and treaties, and to respect human rights, including women's rights to work and education.

Pakistan welcomes Saudi's initiative 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also requested all member states, international organisations and invited countries to actively engage in the forthcoming ministerial meeting to galvanise Islamic and international action to assist Afghans. Meanwhile, on Monday, November 29, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed Saudi Arabia's idea of calling for the meeting and offered to host it. "Pakistan totally endorses Saudi Arabia's initiative and hopes that other OIC members will also support the proposal," read a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), as reported by Dawn. 

It is pertinent to mention here that on August 15, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, putting an end to more than two months of military blitz. However, since then, the law and order situation in the war-ravaged country has remained shaky with a shrinking economy and an unpredictable security situation for traders and civilians. The Taliban is now facing its toughest test in terms of managing the nation's leadership as it struggles with the label of a "rogue state" sidelined by the international community, reported ANI.

Image: AP/PTI