FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urges world to stay engaged with Afghanistan

WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has opposed freezing assets of Afghanistan and urged the world to stay engaged with the Taliban-led Kabul government.

Addressing a press conference at the Pakistani Consulate in Washington, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he has presented Pakistan’s clear stance before the United States (US) regarding freezing Afghanistan’s assets.

“Today, assets of Afghanistan have been frozen, tomorrow it might be another country or Pakistan,” Bilawal said.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that his purpose for visiting the US was to help the flood victims in Pakistan. “The top priority is to aid flood victims; politics is a distant second. Nothing that we do for the flood evacuees is adequate.”

FM Bilawal Bhutto said the United Nations Secretary-General put the flood issue on top of the agenda during the UN session. He expressed gratitude to the world community for the help they offered to Pakistan for the flood victims.

Read more: FM Bilawal seeks world’s support for rehabilitation of flood victims

Bilawal said Pakistan faces shortage of food as crops have been destroyed by floods. Pakistan faced massive flooding right after the country inked an agreement with the IMF, he said.

FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the ten biggest countries affected by climate change will have to raise their voices together. He proposed to the world to work together as it is the only solution to the climate change problem.

“It would be unfair if Asad Majid [Pakistan’s ex-envoy to the US when the cipher was delivered] was penalised for a wrong committed by Imran Khan,” he said commenting on the cypher issue.