Pakistan, UK have ‘shared interest’ in Afghanistan
UK FOREIGN SECRETARY HOLDS TALKS WITH QURESHI ON BILATERAL TIES
Britain and Pakistan will continue to work together as both have a clear “shared interest” in securing a peaceful future for Afghanistan, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said yesterday.
Raab is in Islamabad for discussions on Afghanistan, regional security and PakistanUK bilateral ties. He will also hold talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Partnership for peace
“We are in this partnership for peace” and there is “convergence on the steps” that need to be taken regarding the future stability in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.
In a joint press conference in Islamabad, the British foreign secretary said that being mindful of the situation for Afghanistan’s neighbours, the UK will be shouldering its humanitarian responsibility. UK has announced £30m (Dh35 billion) in life-saving support to bordering countries, including Pakistan, to “provide basic shelter, household, necessities, sanitation for those who come across the border.”
The foreign secretary’s visit is part of the UK’s efforts to secure safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals and Afghans who worked with
UK. FM Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s extensive support in the evacuation from Kabul for foreigners including British nationals.
“Pakistan has facilitated the evacuation of over 10,000 people across 30 countries and international organisations
and will continue to help,” he said. During his first visit to Pakistan, Raab also visited the Torkham border crossing to assess the ground situation at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Key to engage Taliban
British foreign secretary said that the UK does “not recognise the Taliban as a government … but do see the importance to engage and have a direct line of communication” to discuss a range of issues primarily the safe passage of British nationals and those who worked for UK.
He noted that the Taliban had made a series of undertakings, “some of them are positive at the level of words” but there was a “need to test whether
they translated into deeds.” Over 15,000 people couldn’t have been evacuated by the UK without “at least some measure of constructive dialogue with the Taliban.” Raab stressed there was a need to bring stronger global consensus on basic issues such as an inclusive government, safe passage out, no safe haven for terrorism, and allowing humanitarian lifelines in Afghansitan.
Red list issue
During the talks, Pakistan’s foreign minister also raised concerns over the UK travel red list.
To address the issue, Pakistan’s adviser to PM on health affairs Dr Faisal Sultan will hold a meeting with the British authorities next week to discuss measures both sides can take to move Pakistan’s travel status from red to amber list.
With 1.6 million people, UK is home to the largest Pakistani diaspora in the world. Pakistani officials have been calling on the UK to remove Pakistan from the red list of countries for travel citing “grievous suffering” to people. Arrivals from red list countries must stay in a quarantined hotel for 10 days at a cost of £2,285 for a single traveller.