BEIJING, January 17 (INP): Pakistan has been playing an extremely important role in alleviating the humanitarian crisis and avoiding the socio-economic collapse in Afghanistan.

This was stated by Chinese scholar Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, according to Gwadar Pro.

He emphasised that the international community should fully recognize Pakistan's crucial role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

Prof. Cheng believes that Pakistan's important role on the Afghan issue is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

First, at a time when the Afghan people are facing difficulties, Pakistan stands firmly together with them and does its best to help them.

Despite its own COVID-hit economy and natural disasters, Pakistan generously announced Rs 5 billion in-kind humanitarian aid for Afghanistan including food commodities, emergency medical supplies, winter shelters and other supplies besides allowing 246,144 new Afghan refugees to enter Pakistan.

The country is already hosting over three million Afghan refugees.

Second, Pakistan urgently appeals to the international community to actively participate in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Pakistan timely initiated the convening of the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which deepened the international community's understanding of the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and gathered the consensus of the international community on the need to take urgent measures to avoid the socio-economic collapse of Afghanistan.

Pakistani leaders have also highlighted the need for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan on various international occasions, and Pakistan’s efforts are coming to fruition.

The United Nations’ largest-ever $5 billion funding appeal, the US additional aid of $308 million and over $1 billion pledge from the European Union indicate the success of Pakistan’s repeated calls for the world to help avert looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Third, Pakistan is exploring the fundamental way to solve the Afghan issue. All external assistance can only temporarily alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, but to fundamentally solve the socio-economic problems facing Afghanistan, the international community should help Afghanistan cultivate its own self-reliance capacity.

Therefore, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan lately proposed personnel training for Afghanistan in medical, information technology, finance and accounting and other fields. He also directed to extend cooperation in the fields of railways, minerals, pharmaceuticals and media to help Afghanistan for rehabilitation and development.

As the most important close neighbor, Pakistan knows the best about how to make Afghanistan move towards stability and development.

The international community should seriously listen to and adopt Pakistan's views on solving the Afghan issue and make joint efforts with Pakistan to seek regional peace and stability.

INP/Javed