Prime Minister Imran Khan at the SCO summit

  • PM Imran Khan speaks during the SCO meeting in Dushanbe.
  • Appeals to people across the world to come to the aid of the Afghan people.
  • SCO, according to him, is a crucial trade and communication platform.

DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the international community on Friday to recognise Afghanistan's reality and said the war-torn country cannot be allowed to fend for itself.

The prime minister delivered these comments in Tajikistan's capital during the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) Summit.


Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan's position toward Afghanistan has always been consistent, adding, "We want to see a peaceful Afghanistan."


'The Taliban must keep their commitments'


While appealing for international assistance to reconstruct the country, the prime minister also urged the Taliban to keep their commitments.

“For their part, the Taliban must keep their commitments, most notably to an inclusive parliamentary system with representation for all ethnic groups. This is critical for the stability of Afghanistan,” he said.

“It is also critical to guarantee respect for all Afghans' rights and to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists,” he said.

“The fact that this [Taliban takeover] occurred without violence, civil war, or mass flight of refugees should be a source of relief,” he said.

The prime minister emphasised that it is now in the common interest of the international community to prevent a resurgence of war in Afghanistan and to stabilise the security situation.

He thanked the Secretary-General of the United Nations and UN agencies for taking the initiative in mobilising international support for urgently needed humanitarian aid.

Pakistan, he said, respects Afghanistan's sovereignty and believes the Afghan people should make their own choices.