Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said his country is in favour of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, which is descending into turmoil after the Taliban* in effect took charge in Kabul last week.
In a statement regarding the present situation in Afghanistan, the Pakistan Minister said: "Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country. There are Pashtuns and people of other ethnicities there. The government that has emerged in Afghanistan should be one that is broad-based and inclusive," he stressed.
Stating that Pakistan and the neighbouring countries of the region want peace and stability in Afghanistan, Qureshi regretted that "anti-peace forces and troublemakers are still active in Afghanistan".
"We do not want to see Afghanistan become a safe haven for terrorists," he added.
The Foreign Minister said that he will visit Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran to build a regional consensus on Afghanistan.
"I have already spoken to my counterpart in China on the matter," he added.
Talking to the press in Islamabad, Qureshi said that Pakistan is helping with the evacuation of people, including diplomatic personnel and staff of international organisations. He revealed that a total of 542 foreign nationals and 91 Pakistani citizens have been brought to safety.
Afghanistan is witnessing a political and humanitarian crisis after the Taliban took control over the country. The militant group launched a major offensive against the Afghan forces after US President Joe Biden announced in April that US troops, who have been in the country for the past 20 years, would be withdrawn by the end of August.
* The Taliban is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries