BEIJING: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday arrived in China’s Huangshan city to attend the third meeting of ‘Foreign Ministers of Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan’, being held on March 29-31.
Upon his arrival at Huangshan International Airport, Pakistan Ambassador in Beijing Moin-ul-Haq and senior officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry received Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his delegation.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Special Representative on Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq. The foreign minister visited Huangshan city at the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi.
Besides attending the Neighbouring Countries Ministerial meeting, Foreign Minister Qureshi will interact with counterparts from participating countries.
It may be recalled that Pakistan had initiated the Neighbouring Countries format in September 2021 with a view to evolving a regional approach to the situation in Afghanistan.
Prior to departing for his China visit, FM Qureshi said that Afghanistan must not be seen through a regional prism, but as a “shared and collective responsibility”.
“Instability in Afghanistan will have negative consequences for the entire world,” he said in his address at a seminar on ‘Perspectives on the evolving situation in Afghanistan’ organised by the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) of the Institute of Strategic Studies.
The foreign minister said that the emergence of new conflicts did not mean that the world can afford to forget old ones, adding that the wounds of 40 years of war and bloodshed in Afghanistan will take a long time to heal.
“Failure is not an option. If the world community fails Afghanistan yet again, it will result in a fresh influx of refugees, enhanced space for terrorism, and a rise in drug trafficking,” he added.
