Pak FM to visit regional countries to discuss Afghanistan crisis

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will travel to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran this week to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan, Foreign Office said on Tuesday.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war. This forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country to the UAE.

"Foreign Minister Qureshi will share Pakistan's perspective on the latest developments in Afghanistan," Foreign Office said in a statement.

During his August 24-26 visit, Qureshi will have high-level interactions to exchange views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and on enhancing bilateral relations, it added.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Qureshi said that the objective of his visit is "to hear their assessment and see what immediate challenges the neighbours are facing and can face."

Pakistan believes that the neighbouring countries have a vital stake in the peace, security and stability of Afghanistan and the region and it is important to coordinate closely with them to address common challenges and advance shared goals of peace, security, stability and regional connectivity.

In the bilateral context, the foreign minister's visit to these countries will build on the recent high-level exchanges to further intensify close cooperative relations, the FO said.