Civil war likely if international community abandons Afghanistan: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: All the speculations in the backdrop of the Afghan situation have proved wrong and we wish for the peace to prevail now, said Friday the foreign minister while hosting on Friday his English counterpart in Islamabad during the latter’s three-day official, ARY News reproted.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a joint press conference with the United Kingdom Secretary of State Dominic Raab noting their talks have been constructive with a resolve to further the bilateral ties between the two countries.

The two foreign ministers noted that they shared similar sentiments for the rebuilding of Afghan people and their infrastructure revival.

We will continue to send aid to Afghanistan’s neighboring countries on humanitarian grounds, said Dominic Raab while approving £30 million funds right away.

The UK’s state secretary for foreign affairs lauded Pakistan’s role in helping airlift Britishers from Afghanistan post-August 15 fiasco.

Qureshi said abandoning Afghanistan means risking a civil war and related crises and that the two talked about how to go forward with Afghanistan diplomacy.

“Pakistan and the United Kingdom have been closely engaged on the latest developments in Afghanistan,” the foreign ministry said in its press release ahead of the meeting today.

The foreign affairs department said Prime Minister Imran Khan had a comprehensive exchange of views with Prime Minister Boris Johnson telephonically on 18 August 2021.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab arrives in Pakistan

The foreign minister had discussed with Dominic Raab the emerging situation in Afghanistan twice on 16 and 27 August 2021, he reiterated in the joint presser today.

“The visit will reinforce the current momentum in high-level exchanges between the two countries and help strengthen bilateral cooperation on a range of issues.”

Sources told ARY News that Raab is likely to pay a visit to the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border. British high-level officials will also accompany the UK foreign secretary during the Torkham border visit.