ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a phone call with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, on Monday during which both leaders discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and exchanged views on bilateral relations.
Over the past few weeks, tensions between Moscow and the West have escalated, with the US warning of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine. Washington and other Western capitals say that Russia has amassed more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders and is ready to launch a full-scale assault.
Moscow denies any intention to invade its neighbour but has demanded that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alliance permanently rule out Ukraine’s bid for membership and called for the withdrawal of Western forces deployed in Eastern Europe.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) today, Qureshi and Baerbock also discussed the current situation in Afghanistan, following the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
“Discussing Afghanistan, the foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to support the international community in its efforts to strengthen peace and stability” in the war-torn country, the FO said.
It added that Qureshi also highlighted Islamabad’s role in evacuation operations in Afghanistan and informed Baerbock that Pakistan had facilitated over 90,000 evacuations so far.
“The urgent need is to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic meltdown in Afghanistan, which will adversely impact stability in the region and beyond,” the statement quoted Qureshi as saying.
Qureshi also briefed her on “grave human rights violations being committed by India after its illegal, unilateral action of August 5, 2019, in occupied Kashmir”.
The FO statement added that the German foreign minister appreciated Pakistan’s assistance for evacuations from Afghanistan and hoped for its continued support in this regard.
Moreover, Qureshi conveyed to Baerbock that Germany was a valued, longstanding partner of Pakistan and the latter was committed to further enhancing bilateral relations in all dimensions. Qureshi also invited her to visit Pakistan at her earliest convenience.
