Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi speaks during an event at the Pakistani think tank Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Islamabad, Pakistan on Nov. 12, 2021. Muttaqi on Friday questioned the double standards of the West, saying that all donations and aid from the West to Afghanistan stopped when the Afghan people needed them the most. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday questioned the double standards of the West, saying that all donations and aid from the West to Afghanistan stopped when the Afghan people needed them the most.
"There are around 3,100 clinics, operational clinics, and healthcare centers in Afghanistan, and those were being aided by the assistance given to them by foreign channels. It was the same mother and child that were being treated yesterday and it is the same woman, mother, and child that are being treated today, yet that aid has been cut," Muttaqi said while addressing at the Pakistani think tank Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
He said that during his meeting with officials from the United States and the European Union, they discussed continuing the humanitarian assistance without abandoning the people of Afghanistan.
"In spite of the nations with military and technological power, remaining present in Afghanistan for 20 years, and with a lot of money that was poured into Afghanistan, they failed to bring peace and security," Muttaqi said.
Reassuring the interim government's commitment to not letting Afghanistan be a safe haven of terrorist groups, he said that they will not let anyone use Afghan soil against anyone, especially against the neighboring countries.
The Afghan foreign minister arrived in Pakistan with a high-level delegation on Wednesday on a three-day visit. During the trip, Muttaqi held talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi besides attending several meetings.
During the meeting on Friday evening, the Pakistani prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Afghanistan and the Afghan people in overcoming the dire challenges being faced by their country.
"Pakistan has been consistently calling for provision of immediate humanitarian relief for Afghanistan," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
Khan assured Muttaqi of all possible support including humanitarian assistance-in-kind to withstand the coming winter season, saying that his country will continue supporting essential food items including wheat and rice, emergency medical supplies, and shelter items for Afghanistan.
Khan also emphasized the importance for the two countries to work together for facilitation of movement of people, trade and regional connectivity for promotion of progress and prosperity in the region. Enditem
Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi speaks during an event at the Pakistani think tank Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Islamabad, Pakistan on Nov. 12, 2021. Muttaqi on Friday questioned the double standards of the West, saying that all donations and aid from the West to Afghanistan stopped when the Afghan people needed them the most. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi (L) speaks during an event at the Pakistani think tank Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Islamabad, Pakistan on Nov. 12, 2021. Muttaqi on Friday questioned the double standards of the West, saying that all donations and aid from the West to Afghanistan stopped when the Afghan people needed them the most. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
