Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in India on Friday, The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said that a peaceful Afghanistan is a key to global peace and security.
“A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is key not only to regional integration and economic cooperation but also to global peace and stability.” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The statement says that Zardari urged the international community to collectively eradicate the menace of terrorism and “not get caught up weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic point-scoring.” And “It is alarming that terrorist groups within Afghanistan are cooperating amongst themselves more than we are as the international community,” the statement reads.
The Pakistani Foreign Minister emphasized the need for the international community to continue pressuring the Taliban to adopt universally-accepted principles of political inclusivity and to respect the rights of the people of Afghanistan, including the right to education for girls.
Zardari urged the Taliban leaders to uphold their commitment of not allowing the use of Afghanistan’s soil for terrorism.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of providing sanctuary to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).
