Joining the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member, Pakistan on Thursday stressed the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan as vital for ensuring regional harmony.

As part of the joining ceremony, flags of the five new incoming non-permanent members — Pakistan, along with Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia — were installed at the UNSC's stakeout at UN Headquarters in New York.

The new members replaced Japan, Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland whose terms ended on December 31, 2024.

Addressing the Afghanistan issue, Pakistan's envoy affirmed that the issue remains a key item on the UN Security Council’s permanent agenda.

"We continue discussions on Afghanistan at the multilateral and bilateral levels," Pakistan's Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad remarked, adding, "Our position is crystal clear—we want a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, as regional peace is directly tied to stability there."

"We will continue to discuss Afghanistan at the multilateral and bilateral levels," he said. "Our position is very clear and we want a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, because peace in the region is directly linked to stability there."

Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are planned in Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied the claim, saying Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan's "security failure".

Local officials in Takhar province have announced the establishment of a major salt production and refining plant, with an investment worth 45 million AFN.

The new facility is expected to meet international standards and will have an annual production capacity of more than 100,000 tons of high-quality salt.

Abdul Rahman Ghaznawi, Head of Industry and Commerce in Takhar, commented on the project’s significance: "Today, we inaugurated a new salt refining factory here. We urge local traders not to relocate their investments abroad but to invest in building factories here. The government will fully support them."

The decision to build the plant was driven by the region’s lack of a salt refining facility and the improving security situation in Takhar, according to company officials. The new plant is poised to address this gap while ensuring the production of premium-quality salt for both domestic use and export.

Mohammad Nabi Mansour, head of the salt refining company, reassured potential investors: "We guarantee full security in the region, and there are no issues hindering investment. We are confident this is a solid opportunity and are working with our partners with full trust."

Local residents of Takhar are calling on other investors to consider contributing to the country's self-sufficiency by investing in various sectors, especially in Takhar.

Notably, Takhar is rich in natural mineral resources, and investments in the province have the potential to boost production, which could then be exported to neighboring countries, particularly Tajikistan.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) have revealed that over one billion dollars have been invested in the poultry production sector across Afghanistan.

According to the ministry, investment in this sector continues to rise, with approximately 15,000 poultry farms currently operating nationwide.

Misbahuddin Mustain, spokesman for MAIL, said: "At present, around 15,000 poultry farms are actively operating throughout Afghanistan, collectively valued at over one billion dollars."

However, despite this significant investment, the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock notes that Afghanistan has not yet achieved self-sufficiency in poultry production.

"The poultry sector has significantly reduced imports and stopped importing old chickens into the country. We support this sector. Currently, egg imports are ongoing due to a shortage of eggs,” said Mirwais Hajizada, deputy head of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock.

Economic experts believe there is substantial potential for further investment in the poultry industry, stressing that continued growth is essential for the country to reach full self-sufficiency.

Despite the ongoing investments, Afghanistan imports chicken and eggs from neighboring countries. Industry officials are urging the government to focus on expanding the sector, to transform Afghanistan into an exporter of poultry products in the near future.