“Regional connectivity is an important element of our discussion with Afghan leadership and our way forward for our economic interaction with Afghanistan,” says Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Pakistan’s envoy to Kabul.
Pakistan has discussed
Taliban-led Afghanistan joining the multibillion-dollar
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project,
the Pakistani ambassador to the country said.
“Regional connectivity is an important element of our
discussion with Afghan leadership and our way forward for our
economic interaction with Afghanistan,” said Mansoor Ahmad Khan,
Pakistan’s envoy to Kabul, in an interview with Reuters news agency on Monday.
“This important project – China Pakistan Economic Corridor … provides good opportunities, good potential for providing infrastructure and energy connectivity between Afghanistan and Pakistan … (and) also connecting South Asia to the Central Asian region.”
CPEC is a central part of the Belt and Road Initiative,
under which Beijing has pledged over $60 billion for
infrastructure projects in Pakistan, much of it in the form of
loans.
Developing Afghanistan’s economy
Khan said that discussions had been held with the
Taliban-led administration on this and other ways to develop the
country’s economy.
“I think there has been deep interest in terms of developing
economic connectivity of Afghanistan with Pakistan through CPEC
and with other neighbouring countries including Iran, China,
Central Asian countries.”
In recent days representatives from Pakistan, China and
Russia have held meetings with Taliban officials.
Khan said
security and economic development were the two main topics under
discussion and that these countries expected to continue to
consult as a group and meet with the Taliban going forward.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, the
country has been plunged into an economic crisis as the nation’s
international assistance has been largely cut off.
Billions of
dollars in central bank assets held abroad have also been
frozen, which has put pressure on the banking system and
prevented most transactions involving US dollars, which Khan
said was also hampering trade.
Khan said that Pakistan was also trying to work with the
international community to ease international restrictions on
the banking system and several executives from Pakistani
financial institutions with a presence in Afghanistan had
visited Kabul in recent days to see if the situation could be
improved should international limits end.
The United States and other Western nations are
reluctant to provide the Taliban with funds until the movement provides assurances that it will uphold human
rights, and in particular the rights of women.
Millions of refugees in Pakistan
Pakistan, which shares a border with Afghanistan and hosts
millions of Afghan refugees from decades of conflict, is
concerned about the economic crisis hitting its neighbour.
Its
prime minister, Imran Khan, and other officials have urged the
international community not to isolate the Taliban
administration, saying aid should be provided to prevent
economic collapse and a wave of refugees.
Pakistan has not yet formally recognised the
Taliban-led administration, and Khan, the Pakistani envoy,
told Reuters that “the issues of formal recognition will come
later as Pakistan is part of the international community.”
Source: Reuters
Pakistan holds talks with Taliban over CPEC expansion to Afghanistan
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