ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday urged the Taliban and the Afghan leaders to work for an inclusive political settlement to ensure sustainable peace and security in the war-torn country and the region.
Talking to his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan on telephone, Qureshi also urged the international community to play its role for reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.
He stressed the "importance of the international community's active and sustained engagement with the Afghan people, according to the Foreign Office.
He thanked Saudi Arabia, the current Chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, for convening the 57-member bloc's Extraordinary Meeting at the level of Permanent Representatives on August 22 to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
"A peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of critical importance for Pakistan and the region," he said.
Qureshi hoped that Afghan parties would work for an inclusive political settlement to ensure sustainable peace and security in the country and the region.
The Foreign Minister also apprised his Saudi counterpart of Pakistan's efforts to facilitate the evacuation of personnel and staff of diplomatic missions, international organizations, media and others from Afghanistan.
In the bilateral context, the two Foreign Ministers reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during the visit of the Saudi Foreign Minister to Pakistan in July 2021.
Qureshi also discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde who called him.
He said that in the last few days he had been in touch with several European and other Foreign Ministers to exchange views on Afghanistan.
He also highlighted the importance of the international community's sustained engagement with Afghanistan.
"International community must show solidarity and support with the people of Afghanistan, both in the humanitarian arena and economic sustenance, he said.
He underlined that no other country wanted a peaceful and stable Afghanistan more than Pakistan and that Pakistan had consistently advocated for an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan as the best way forward and had been supporting efforts in that direction.
Qureshi informed Linde of his upcoming visit to neighboring countries of Afghanistan to consult them on the developing situation.
Linde conveyed her government's deep appreciation for Pakistan's assistance in the evacuation of Swedish Embassy staff and others from Kabul.
He will visit Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
He has already spoken to China on the matter.