Imran Khan stresses on immediate release of Afghanistan's frozen assets

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday stressed the need to immediately release Afghanistan's frozen assets to enable the country to overcome economic challenges.

Khan highlighted Afghanistan's frozen assets at a meeting with a Taliban delegation headed by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Islamabad, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.

He stressed the need for the immediate release of Afghanistan's frozen assets and facilitating banking transactions to prevent an economic meltdown.

"Pakistan has been consistently calling for the provision of immediate humanitarian relief for Afghanistan," said Khan.

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating and along with that, the security situation has worsened since the Taliban took control of the country.Millions of Afghans will face starvation this winter unless urgent action is taken, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

Nearly 23 million people, or 55 per cent of the Afghan population, are estimated to be in crisis or experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity between now and March of next year.

In its latest situation report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shows concern about "conditional humanitarianism" or attempts to "leverage" humanitarian assistance for political purposes.

He also said that Pakistan will favourably consider the Taliban government's request for allowing the transportation of wheat from India through the country for humanitarian reasons, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.

Pakistan has not allowed Indian shipments to Afghanistan to pass through its territory.

In October, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) country director in Afghanistan, Mary Ellen Mc Groarty said the programme is in talks with India for wheat donation to Taliban controlled Afghanistan.

Taliban, following a meeting with Indian officials in October, said New Delhi has expressed readiness to provide extensive humanitarian assistance to Afghans.

( With inputs from ANI )