Bilawal, Saudi FM reaffirm importance of guaranteeing Afghan women’s rights

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Monday reaffirmed the importance of guaranteeing Afghan women’s rights and their full as well equal participation in all aspects of life.

In a statement, Foreign Office said that Foreign Minister Bilawal spoke with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud over the telephone.

Reaffirming the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the two foreign ministers reiterated their mutual commitment to further enhance and deepen bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest, it stated.

Bilawal thanked the leadership of the Kingdom for valuable flood relief assistance to Pakistan.

It further stated that the foreign minister apprised his Saudi counterpart of the upcoming International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan, which is being held in Geneva on 9th January 2023.

“The Saudi foreign minister conveyed the Kingdom’s strong support for all initiatives aimed at strengthening and reinforcing Pakistan’s post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts,” according to the statement.

It added that the two foreign ministers also discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan.

“They reaffirmed the importance of guaranteeing women’s rights and their full and equal participation in all aspects of life,” it stated, adding that the two foreign ministers also reiterated their support for security, stability and peace in Afghanistan and the importance of international engagement for building a more sustainable future for the Afghan people.

This comes following the Afghan Taliban’s interim government suspended the university and higher education of Afghan women, besides barring the Afghan women from working with local and foreign non-governmental organisations.

The Taliban interim government’s decision drew global condemnations from the Western countries as well as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Earlier on December 21, Bilawal received a telephonic call from Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of UAE, in which sthey discussed developments in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s decision to ban the education of girls and women in Afghanistan’s universities.

“Both leaders emphasised that Islam has accorded women a privileged position, and safeguarded their rights. They affirmed the need to guarantee women’s rights, as well as the importance of full and equal participation of women and girls in all aspects of life,” according to a statement of the Foreign Office.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022