Tajiks make up 46% of Afghan population, should play major role in Afghan govt: Tajikistan Prez

In a meeting with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, President Rahmon said that one of the major threats to regional security is the current situation in Afghanistan.

“Afghanistan is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the withdrawal of coalition forces,” he said, according to a presidential statement.

He said the dangerous situation that has developed in Afghanistan in recent days is not only the problem of the Afghan people, but also one of the most pressing regional and global issues today.

“It should be noted that the coming to power of the Taliban movement in Kabul has further complicated the geopolitical process in the region at this stage."

“Evidence clearly shows that the Taliban are abandoning their previous promises to form an interim government with the broad participation of other political forces in the country and are preparing to establish an Islamic emirate,” he noted.

“Tajikistan strongly condemns all forms of lawlessness, murder, looting and persecution of the Afghan people, especially Tajiks, Uzbeks and other national minorities,” he said.

“It was stressed at the meeting that the victim Afghanistan and this friendly and brotherly nation of ours should not be dragged back into the whirlpool of bloody imposed wars.

As a close neighbour, Tajikistan has always supported the restoration of lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and remains committed to this position, he said.

“The Republic of Tajikistan stressed that in order to urgently address the political and security problems of the neighbouring country, an inclusive government should be established as soon as possible with the participation of all national minorities, especially Tajiks in Afghanistan, who make up more than 46% of the population.”

President Rahmon said the state structure in Afghanistan should be determined by referendum and taking into account the position of all citizens of the country.

“Tajikistan will not recognize any other government that will be formed in this country through oppression, without taking into account the position of the entire Afghan people, especially all its national minorities.”

“It was stressed that Tajiks have a worthy place in the future Government of Afghanistan.”

Tajikistan calls on the international community to take urgent measures to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan and to stabilize its difficult political and security situation through negotiations as soon as possible.

He said the international community's indifference to the current situation in Afghanistan could lead to a protracted civil war.

It was stressed that Tajikistan is committed to the restoration of peace, stability and security in Afghanistan as soon as possible, “and we believe that the United Nations should play a key role in promoting this process”.

Rahmon made proposals to the Pakistani side on ways to ensure peace, stability and further sustainable development of Afghanistan.

In the course of the meeting a wide range of issues of development and expansion of bilateral cooperation in various fields of mutual interest has been considered.

Both sides also discussed the preparations for the official visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan, which shares a long border with Afghanistan, has been a major transit point where evacuees from Kabul are taken first, before their onward journey to other countries. India has taken many of its evacuees from Kabul to Dushanbe before their onward journey home.