ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP):SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Wednesday hailed US representatives’ upcoming meeting with the Taliban officials terming it a “welcome development” that would help address challenges confronted by the war torn country.
President SAARC Chamber Iftikhar Ali Malik was talking to a delegation of traders led by Waqas Anjum here today.
Recalling Pakistan’s consistent advocacy for the world’s engagement with the Taliban, who took control of Afghanistan in August after the fall of Ghani government, Iftikhar Ali Malik said: “Pakistan had been fully supporting, advocating and encouraging enhanced engagement of international community with Afghanistan to help address its challenges”.
He said it was good omen that both sides’ representatives would thrash out the modalities of assistance in education, health, finance, security and banking sectors of Afghanistan besides unfreezing of Afghan foreign reserves.
He said unblocking the Afghan foreign reserves is need of the hour for supporting the Afghan people.
He said the economic crisis caused by Western sanctions on Taliban regime and freezing of Afghan assets has aggravated the humanitarian and financial crisis in Afghanistan.
Iftikhar Ali Malik lauded the bold step taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan for waiving all taxes on Afghan exports and imports to support the Afghan business community in their hours of trial.
He said Pakistan on humanitarian grounds has also despatched food containers to Afghanistan to meet their urgent needs.
