Afghanistan's economic collapse will affect whole region: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday has called for taking immediate decisions to avert the increasing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. 

In a statement today, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan is hosting the extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Sunday to apprise the world of the Afghan situation.

The FM said apart from the OIC members, permanent members of the UN Security Council and representatives of the UN Agencies and important European countries have also been invited to this moot.

He warned if seriousness was not demonstrated, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan could assume serious proportions. He said the economic collapse of Afghanistan is quite visible and the dire situation there will impact not only Pakistan but the whole region.

Read more: Shah Mahmood Qureshi asks world to extend support to Afghan people

The foreign minister said the international agencies are also warning if immediate attention was not paid, 97 percent of Afghan people will be below the poverty line by mid of next year.

Earlier, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi had urged the international community to extend continuous support to the Afghan people.

He had pointed out that the extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers being hosted by Pakistan will provide an opportunity to dilate upon concrete steps to meet the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.