At SCO summit, Pak PM says 'new reality' established in Afghanistan with Taliban takeover

A "new reality" has been established in war-torn Afghanistan after the Taliban's takeover and foreign troops' pullout, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said at the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) Summit in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe on Friday. 

"That all this happened without bloodshed, without civil war and without mass exodus of refugees, should be a matter of relief. It is now in the international community's collective interest to ensure that there is no renewed conflict in Afghanistan and the security situation is stabilised," he said.

Addressing the SCO summit, Pakistan Prime Minister said that it is necessary to respect rights for Afghanistan while making sure that the war-ravaged country is never a safe haven for terrorists.

Imran Khan said that it was crucial to give humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan without any delay owing to the current crisis they are facing. "We must remember that the Afghan government primarily depended on foreign aid," he said.

Asserting that the Taliban should make good on their commitments, Khan said, "the Taliban must fulfil the pledges made above all for an inclusive political structure where all ethnic groups are represented. This is vital for Afghanistan's stability."

He further said that the war-torn nation could not be controlled from outside. 

Taliban forms government in Afghanistan

Earlier this month, the Taliban formed an interim government in Afghanistan weeks after capturing Kabul, leading to the fall of the US-supported Ashraf Ghani administration. Several Taliban commanders and big wigs were given positions in the all-male cabinet. 

Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund was made Prime Minister, while Mullah Abdul Baradar and Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi were made his deputies. The new government also featured  Sirajuddin Haqqani (Interior Minister, who is on the FBI's most-wanted list. Meanwhile, several Afghans are protesting against the Taliban government demanding rights. Women are also protesting against the terrorist organisation, demanding inclusion.

(With PTI inputs)