Putin and Imran Khan discuss urgent need for humanitarian aid

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan and bilateral cooperation in a phone call on Tuesday — the second between the two leaders in less than a month.

Recalling their earlier telephone conversation of August 25, the two leaders also discussed collaboration within the domain of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a statement issued by Imran Khan’s office said.

Khan underscored the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan for regional security and prosperity. He also emphasised the “urgent need” to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and the need to avert an economic crisis, according to the statement.

The premier also highlighted the need for the international community to remain engaged in Afghanistan, saying “the Afghan people should not be abandoned at this crucial juncture.”

Imran Khan added that close coordination and consultations between Pakistan and Russia on the evolving situation in the country were of “crucial importance”.

In their last call, Imran Khan had stressed the importance of adopting coordinated approaches to address the evolving situation in Afghanistan, saying that Pakistan gave “high importance” to the role of the Troika Plus format.