Troika Plus calls on Afghan Taliban to form an inclusive, representative govt

A joint statement issued after the Troika Plus meeting has called on the Afghan Taliban to work with fellow Afghans to take steps to form an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and provides for the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society, a statement issued by the foreign office (FO) said on Thursday.

Islamabad hosted on Thursday a meeting of the extended Troika, comprising Pakistan, China, Russia, and the United States to discuss the latest situation in Afghanistan.

The extended Troika met with senior Taliban representatives on the sidelines of the meeting, the foreign office (FO) said in a statement.

In the spirit of the discussion, as well as building on previous outcomes of Troika and extended Troika meetings, the four participating countries expressed "deep concern regarding the severe humanitarian and economic situation in Afghanistan and reiterated unwavering support for the people of Afghanistan."

The participants recalled the relevant Afghan–related UNSC Resolutions, including respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan that is free of terrorism and drug-related crime, and that contributes to regional stability and connectivity.

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The members also welcomed the Taliban’s continued commitment to allow for the safe passage of all who wish to travel to and from Afghanistan and encouraged rapid progress, with the onset of winter, on arrangements to establish airports countrywide that can accept commercial air traffic, which are essential to enable the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance.

The group called on the Taliban to work with fellow Afghans to take steps to form an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and provides for the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society.

The participants agreed to continue practical engagement with the Taliban to encourage the implementation of moderate and prudent policies that can help achieve a stable and prosperous Afghanistan as soon as possible.

The FO statement added that the group "emphasized that access to education for women and girls at all levels is an international obligation and encouraged the Taliban to accelerate efforts to provide for full and equal access to education countrywide."

The members welcomed the international community’s urgent provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and expressed grave concern at the potential for an economic collapse and significantly worsening humanitarian crisis and a new refugee wave.

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They called on the Taliban to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, including by women aid workers, for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan to respond to the developing crisis.

The forum welcomed the greater role of United Nations as a coordinator in such fields as contributing to stability and delivering emergency assistance.

Moreover, they urged the United Nations and its specialized agencies to develop programs to implement the international community’s commitments to support the people of Afghanistan.

The forum condemned in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and called on the Taliban to cut ties with all international terrorist groups, dismantle and eliminate them in a decisive manner, and deny space to any terrorist organization operating inside the country.

The members reaffirmed their expectation that the Taliban will fulfill their commitment to preventing the use of Afghan territory by terrorists against its neighbors, other countries in the region, and the rest of the world.

They called on the Taliban to take a friendly approach towards neighboring countries and to uphold Afghanistan’s international legal obligations, including universally accepted principles of international law and fundamental human rights, and to protect the safety and legitimate rights of foreign nationals and institutions in Afghanistan.

The forum acknowledged international humanitarian actors’ concerns regarding the country’s serious liquidity challenges and committed to continue focusing on measures to ease access to legitimate banking services.

The forum also called on the international community to take concrete actions to provide Afghanistan with help against the Coivd-19.

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Earlier on Thursday, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that engagement with Afghanistan must continue and it should be enhanced for multiple reasons.

Addressing a Troika Plus Meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, Qureshi said nobody wishes to see a relapse into civil war and an economic collapse that will spur instability in Afghanistan. "Everyone wants terrorist elements operating inside Afghanistan to be tackled effectively and prevent a new refugee crisis," he stated.

The foreign minister expressed confidence that Troika Plus's engagement with the new Afghan government will help consolidate peace and stability, promote sustainable economic development and help constrict space for terrorist outfits operating from and within Afghanistan.