ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday everyone would be at a loss if Afghanistan is left on its own, as most Western nations have evacuated their Kabul embassies following the country's recent takeover by the Taliban.
The Afghan army and government collapsed when the Taliban swept to power and seized Kabul on Aug. 15, as the US military is ending its mission to withdraw all troops from the war-battered nation ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden.
United Nations officials have warned that Afghanistan faces a humanitarian catastrophe. The economy, shattered after decades of war, also faces the loss of billions of dollars in foreign aid, following the withdrawal of Western missions from the country.
"If Afghanistan is left on its own, everyone will be at a loss," Qureshi said in a statement. "If the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates, it will affect everyone."
"The whole region will benefit if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan," Qureshi said, adding that the Taliban leadership has been reaching out to most of the countries in the region.
The Taliban have said they want good relations with the international community and have promised to form an inclusive government, with a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last governed the country in 1996-2001. Tens of thousands of people have, however, already left Afghanistan since the Taliban, which came two decades after the group was ousted in a US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
The group's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid appealed to Western nations on Saturday to maintain diplomatic relations after their withdrawal.
"We appeal to the US, UK and other Western nations to maintain diplomatic ties with Afghanistan," he told Reuters, adding that they would announce a new government in the coming week.
The US and its allies have promised to continue providing humanitarian aid through the UN and other partners, but any broader engagement — including development assistance — is likely to depend on whether the Taliban deliver on their promises.
