Pakistan has put forward a strategy to urgently respond to the Afghan humanitarian crisis during the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), convened by Saudi Arabia, in Islamabad.
The six-point strategy includes some urgent measures to ensure food security and economic revival of Afghanistan, develop the capacity to counter terrorism, establish a mechanism for providing sustainable humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan government.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi proposed a six-point framework to support the Afghan people:
- OIC should create a vehicle within the OIC to channel immediate and sustained humanitarian and financial support to the Afghan people including the pledges from the OIC and other donors.
- Increase investment for the Afghan people bilaterally or through the OIC in areas such as education, health, technical and vocational skills to the Afghan youth.
- A group of experts comprising the OIC, the UN and international financial institutions be established to consider ways and means to facilitate Afghan access to legitimate banking system and ease liquidity challenge of Afghan people.
- Focus on enhancing food security of the Afghan people and the Islamic organization of food security must lead this effort.
- Invest in capacity building of Afghan institutions in countering terrorism and combating illicit drug trafficking.
- Engage with the Afghan authorities to help meet the expectations of the international community regarding political and social inclusivity, respect for human rights especially of women and girls and combating terrorism.