New York: The in-person meeting of the Foreign Minister of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which was scheduled to take place in New York on September 25, has been canceled due to lack of consensus among other member states on Afghanistan’s participation. , a war-torn nation now ruled by the Taliban, a UN-designated terrorist group.
Multiple reports suggest that it was Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan who urged member countries to allow a representative of the Taliban’s interim government in Afghanistan to attend the annual meeting.
The meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the ongoing 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York on September 25.
SAARC comprises eight nations including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. States with observer status include Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea and the United States.
Last year the meeting was organized through video conferencing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While the international community is still considering recognizing the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Pakistan has been a vocal supporter of the new regime.
It has also sent high officials to Kabul and Qatar before the formation of the Taliban government.
Recently, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has called on the international community to support Afghans at a critical juncture through various steps, including the freezing of their assets.
Read also | Afghan Crisis, Covid and an Indirect Message to China: Key Facts from Joe Biden’s Speech at the UNGA
The US has amassed $9.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets and the international lender has stayed away from Afghanistan, wary of providing funds that could be used by the Taliban.
Even the Taliban have said they admire Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts for peace, stability and an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
.