ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Thursday said that the Taliban should be given time to form government and run country’s affairs. He said this in his meeting with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who called on him in Islamabad. During the meeting, matters pertaining to evacuation from Afghanistan and humanitarian assistance for Afghan citizens came under discussion. It was agreed during the meeting that Afghan citizens would not be left alone in the current situation – food, medicine and other essentials would be provided to Afghans on humanitarian grounds. Sheikh Rasheed said that Pakistan wants lasting peace in neighboring Afghanistan. He said the Taliban should be given time to form government and run the affairs of the country, adding that the world needs to understand the ground realities in Afghanistan. “Taliban will have to ensure financial and human resources for governance in Afghanistan,” the minister said. The minister went on to say that refugees could lead to possible humanitarian famine, instability and lawlessness in Afghanistan, adding that trucks and planeloads of food and medicine have been sent to Afghanistan under humanitarian assistance. Sh Rasheed said: “In the current context, there are no Afghan refugees in Pakistan, nor is there a refugee camp, adding that a 24-hour facility is working to evacuate foreigners and Afghans from Afghanistan. Speaking on the occasion, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees appreciated Pakistan’s role in the continuous care of over 3 million Afghan refugees. Grandi said that the UN will not leave the Afghan citizens alone and will help them in any way possible, adding that the United Nations has mobilized the world for funding and assistance to Afghanistan. “The UN is grateful to the government of Pakistan for providing security and visa facilities to its staff,” he added.
