Well-being of Afghans must remain focus: Pakistani FM

Islamabad (Pakistan), September 9: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the well-being of the Afghan people must remain the focus, as they had suffered enormously due to prolonged conflict and instability for decades, according to the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan.
While chairing the foreign ministers' virtual meeting on the Afghan issue also attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, Qureshi emphasized the importance of proceeding with a realistic approach in view of the changed reality in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
A shared approach would help Afghanistan on its path to peace and stability and would result in enhanced economic integration and realization of connectivity projects, he said.
During the meeting, Qureshi drew the attention of the international community to addressing humanitarian crisis and preventing economic meltdown in Afghanistan as the key priorities, the statement said.
He expressed the hope that the meeting would lay strong foundation for a robust regional engagement on the situation in Afghanistan.
The Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister.
The Taliban said it had completely captured Panjshir, the last holdout province of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, after U.S. troop's withdrawal late last month.
The last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan at mid-night on Aug. 30, one day before the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden, ending a 20-year invasion war into the Central Asian country.
Source: Xinhua