UNITED NATIONS, Aug 17 (NNN-XINHUA) – Pakistan is actively promoting an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan and helping evacuate diplomats, representatives of international organisations, and others from Kabul, said Pakistan’s UN ambassador, Munir Akram, yesterday.
Leaders of a number of political parties and groups in Afghanistan, representing all the multi-ethnic groups, apart from the Pashtuns, were present in Islamabad, and met with the Pakistani leadership yesterday, he told reporters.
“They promised to engage continuously with the Taliban and to try to evolve an inclusive Afghan government. Pakistan will work with them and the Talibans to advance this objective — the objective of an inclusive political government, which is important for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
Pakistan is also making efforts to facilitate the safe evacuation of representatives of international organiations, and others from Afghanistan, said Akram.
“We are evacuating all diplomatic personnel who wish to evacuate, and wish to come through Pakistan, all representatives of international agencies, who have requested our help in being evacuated, and all other personnel who feel that they are in danger. We would be willing to look at the possibility of taking them out.”
Whenever needed, arrangements will be made for issuing visas to such people on arrival in Pakistan, he said.
A facilitation centre has been set up by the Pakistani Interior Ministry, to ensure the expeditious processing of visas and other requirements, to enable the smooth and timely evacuation from Kabul, said Akram. “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.”
Yesterday, Pakistan evacuated 421 Afghan employees of the Danish Embassy in Kabul.
He said, Pakistan called on all Afghan parties, including the Taliban, to ensure the preservation of law and order in Kabul and elsewhere. The immediate priority should be at the maintenance of law and order, and the safety and security of all Afghan 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, said Akram.– NNN-XINHUA
