Pakistan will go to a major summit on Afghanistan in Doha

Pakistan is scheduled to attend an important two-day summit in Doha, Qatar, on February 18 and 19, which is sponsored by the UN, to examine the path for engagement with the Afghan Taliban government.

An official handout released by the foreign office here on Friday stated that Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, will head the country’s mission to the meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take place in the capital of Qatar.

The statement went on, “The UN Secretary-General is calling the meeting to discuss approaches for international engagement with Afghanistan in a more coherent and structured manner.”

The statement went on to say that Pakistan actively engages with the international community, including the UN, to bolster efforts for long-term peace and development in Afghanistan, and that Pakistan’s attendance at the meeting was part of that effort.

Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, is hosting the meeting, which is his second in less than a year.

In addition to delegates from women’s organizations, civil society organizations, and Taliban leaders, special envoys from UN member states and international organizations have been invited to the conference.

According to the US Institute of Peace, the meeting is an important, high-level chance for donors and the area to plan future measures on how to enhance the situation in Afghanistan and interact with the Taliban government.

The conference will cover the recent report on a future direction by UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan Feridun Sinirlioğlu, as well as the current humanitarian and human rights challenges.

Although it is not yet confirmed, the Afghan Taliban government has also been invited to the conference. The administration of the Taliban seeks recognition as the rightful representatives of Afghanistan. In addition, Kabul is not in favor of the UN special envoy being sent to Afghanistan, despite a recent UN resolution recommending just that.

Speaking on behalf of the secretary-general, Stephane Dujarric stated that the goal of the meeting is to talk about how to interact with the Taliban on a global scale since they have taken back control.

The goal of the gathering, according to Dujarric, is to give the special envoys a chance to meet with Afghan stakeholders together, including women and members of the de facto government as well as other members of Afghan civil society.

The possible appointment of a UN ambassador to oversee heightened foreign interaction with Taliban leaders in Kabul is a major agenda item for the meeting. The United States and its European allies support the appointment, which was suggested in an unbiased UN evaluation.

A resolution allowing the secretary-general to designate a special envoy for Afghanistan was up for vote in the UN Security Council in December 2023, but China and Russia chose not to participate.

The de facto Afghan authorities, meanwhile, are still against sending a UN ambassador to the nation.

The meeting takes place at a pivotal moment when there appears to be a breakdown in the global agreement. China last month acknowledged the Taliban’s newly appointed envoy, a decision interpreted as endorsing the Kabul government.

Beijing, though, hasn’t made its position clear yet. Considering its tense ties with the Taliban administration, Pakistan finds the conference to be significant.

Pakistan will support dialogue with the Taliban government, but any recognition will be contingent on the Kabul government upholding its international obligations, especially with regard to preventing terrorists from using the neighboring nation as a base of operations.