Pakistani religious party official urges international community to support needy Afghans

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), one of Pakistan’s main religiopolitical parties, has offered technical support to the new administration in Afghanistan in the areas of health and education.

The Taliban took power in the war-torn country mid-August and have formed an interim government headed by Hassan Akhund, the acting prime minister.

Addressing a news conference in the capital Islamabad, Asif Luqman Qazi, the party's director of foreign affairs, said the JI stands with the people of Afghanistan.

"Our leadership has offered technical support and expertise to the Afghan government through its office in Peshawar for the education and health sectors," he said, adding the Al Khidmat Foundation, the party's charity arm, could also extend a helping hand.

Qazi urged the international community to support Afghans who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

The UN has said that Afghanistan is facing a major humanitarian crisis after decades of war and suffering. More than $1 billion in aid was pledged for the country at a recent conference in Geneva.

The best strategy to give peace a chance is engaging with the newly-established interim government, Qazi said, urging the US to release the amount it is alleged to have frozen – over $9 billion worth of assets belonging to the Afghan central bank.

The JI leader said his party delegation is likely to visit Kabul and meet Taliban representatives soon.

Separately, he along with party members met Turkish ambassador to Pakistan Mustafa Yurdakul to discuss developments in Afghanistan and the region.