ISLAMABAD, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan early Saturday morning urged the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to mobilize the international community to extend financial assistance to Afghanistan during the current crisis.
In a virtual address to the 76th session of the UNGA, Khan said the world has no time to waste, and if immediate humanitarian assistance is not given to Afghanistan, it might have very serious repercussions for the world, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
"If we neglect Afghanistan right now, according to the UN, half the people of Afghanistan are already vulnerable, and by next year almost 90 percent of the people in Afghanistan will go below the poverty line. There is a huge humanitarian crisis looming ahead. And this will have serious repercussions not just for the neighbors of Afghanistan but everywhere."
He noted that "in trying to force a military solution is where the U.S. went wrong," and if Afghanistan is not supported by the international community, it will become a safe haven for international terrorists.
Talking about the influence of the United States' war against terrorism in Pakistan, Khan said his country suffered the most in the war. "80,000 Pakistanis died, 150 billion U.S. dollars were lost to our economy. There were 3.5 million internally displaced Pakistanis."
He added that after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States needed Pakistan for providing all the logistical support in Afghanistan.
"The world must know that in Pakistan, there were 480 drone attacks conducted by the U.S.. And we all know that drone attacks are not that precise. They cause more collateral damage than the militants they are targeting," he said.
"The only reason we suffered so much was that we became an ally of the United States," he said, adding that "at least there should have been a word of appreciation. But rather than appreciation, imagine how we feel when we are blamed for the turn of events in Afghanistan."
Khan said the world is facing the triple challenges of COVID-19, the accompanying economic crisis, and threats posed by climate change. He called for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy of vaccine equity.
He also proposed adequate financing for developing countries through comprehensive debt restructuring, expanded official development assistance and redistribution of unutilized special drawing rights.
The prime minister also urged the international community to adopt clear investment strategies to help alleviate poverty, promote job creation, build sustainable infrastructure, and bridge the digital divide. Enditem