ISLAMABAD, 25 September 2021, (TON): Pakistan welcomed the expansion in the Afghan cabinet as a “positive step” and called for more such actions by the Taliban for stability in the war-ravaged country.

Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar said at the weekly media briefing “we have taken note of the expansion in the interim cabinet with representation of different ethnic and political groups. This is a positive direction, and we hope they continue to take steps leading to lasting stability in the country.”

The Taliban had earlier in the week expanded the interim cabinet by naming a number of deputy ministers, some of whom belong to ethnic minorities like Hazaras. Most of the newly-inducted deputy ministers are, however, hardliners. Moreover, no woman was included in the cabinet yet again.

The international community has been unrelenting in its demand for an inclusive government in Afghanistan and has linked recognition of the new set-up to the fulfilment of the demand.

Calls for timely mobilisation of humanitarian assistance to avert crisis

International development assistance has been stopped in the absence of recognition for the Taliban government. Afghanistan has traditionally heavily relied on foreign assistance. Therefore, discontinuation of the assistance has raised fears of an economic collapse.