- PM Imran Khan to hold National Security Committee meeting today, say sources.
- NSC meeting to review security situation after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
- President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan Sunday after Taliban encircled Kabul.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has called a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) today (Monday) to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan, according to sources.
As per sources, the NSC will review the situation in Afghanistan, after the Taliban consolidated their hold over the country two decades later.
President Ashraf Ghani fled the country Sunday and conceded the insurgents had won the 20-year war.
The astonishingly quick collapse of the government, with the Afghan Taliban taking over the presidential palace in Kabul Sunday night, triggered fear and panic in the capital.
Thousands of people were on Monday trying to escape Kabul with scenes of chaos as crowds gathered at the airport.
PM Imran Khan spoke to Turkey’s President Erdogan on Sunday, with the two leaders reviewing the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan.
The prime minister had told Erdogan that the NSC would meet on Monday to further deliberate over the evolving situation. The two leaders would consult again after the meeting, with a view to coordinate their efforts.
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue all efforts in support of an inclusive political solution in Afghanistan.
Pakistan will present its stance after NSC meeting, says FM Qureshi
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi confirmed that the prime minister will chair the NSC meeting today, saying that Islamabad will give its stance after the meeting.
The foreign minister said the Afghanistan issue and the country’s security will be discussed during the meeting.
“An important delegation from Afghanistan is in Pakistan,” he said, adding that the delegation was in Islamabad to hold consultations with Pakistan.
He said Pakistani government officials will meet the Afghan delegations today in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and talks will revolve around the progress and peace of Afghanistan.
The foreign minister said after Ashura, PM Imran Khan has directed Pakistani government officials to hold consultations with Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries regarding the situation in the country.
He said the main reason for holding talks with the Afghan government is to ensure a consensus-based outcome is reached.
Speaking on India, Qureshi said New Delhi should adopt a responsible attitude, saying that the world was seeking peace in the region.
“The world expects India to play a positive role [in the Afghanistan crisis],” he said. “For the betterment of the region, India should act responsibly.”
Pakistan has ‘no favourites’ in Afghanistan: FM Qureshi
A day earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had made it clear that Pakistan has “no favourites” in Afghanistan and would like to harbour good relations with its neighbours.
Speaking during a press conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister had said that “when the time comes, Pakistan will recognise the Taliban government in line with international consensus, ground realities, as well as Pakistan’s national interests”.
“Pakistan agrees that there should be no military solution to the Afghan issue and wants all problems to be resolved through dialogue,” he had said, adding that the country’s agenda is to see the development and prosperity of Afghanistan.
Qureshi had said that he will soon discuss the Afghan issue with the leadership of neighbouring countries, including China, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, adding that India, too, should work to resolve the Afghan issue.
He had said that the situation in Afghanistan is rapidly changing, however, the Embassy of Pakistan in the country is functioning normally.
“Pakistan has always played the role of a facilitator in Afghanistan and will continue to do so,” Qureshi said. “It is our neighbouring country, therefore, we want to establish good relations with it.”
Towards the end of his press briefing, FM Qureshi had said that the Afghan leadership must work together to find a solution that will save lives as well as the property of the Afghan people.
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