The 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) started in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, reported local media. Convened by Saudi Arabia as OIC chair and being hosted by Pakistan, 70 delegates are participating in the historic session, reported The Express Tribune. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is chairing the session, made an inaugural address at the meeting.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is also taking part in the meeting. He will make a keynote address to highlight the situation and draw the world attention towards the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
Under the garb of humanitarian agenda, experts believe that Pakistan is attempting to push the interim Afghanistan government towards international recognition despite little progress on the human rights front by the outfit. More than 100 days have passed since the Taliban seized control over Afghanistan but the outfit is yet to be recognized by any country in the world.
Respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community.
Moreover, Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. Billions of dollars worth of the country’s assets abroad, mostly in the US, have been frozen and international funding to the country has ceased.
