ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said that the international community needed to look into the “meltdown” of Afghan security forces in the face of Taliban offensives across Afghanistan, instead of blaming Pakistan for the fast-deteriorating situation.

Taliban fighters have swiftly gained territory across Afghanistan since May, including six provincial capitals in the last three days, as international forces near a complete withdrawal from the country after 20 years of fighting. “The capacity-building, the training, the equipment ... where is it?” Qureshi asks while addressing a news conference, referring to resources spent by other countries, particularly the United States, on bolstering Afghan national forces.

“Issues of governance and the meltdown of Afghan national defence forces need to be looked into,” he said. Pakistan cannot be held responsible for the failure of others, he said.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said peace and stability in Afghanistan was a shared responsibility of the international community and Pakistan had played a very positive role in this respect.

“Pakistan has done it role with sincerity. We are facilitators not guarantors. The whole world has to contribute,” he said.

The FM said Pakistan fully rejects the baseless accusations made by the Afghan Representative in UN Security Council.

He said Afghanistan should refrain from blaming Pakistan for failures of others. “I have invited Afghan Foreign Minister to visit Islamabad to discuss and resolve issues if any on the dialogue table,” he added.

Pakistan, he said, facilitated the Afghan peace process with utmost sincerity.

The Foreign Minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had always said that there is no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan.

He said a negotiated, inclusive and broad-based political settlement was the only way forward to establish peace in Afghanistan. He said the people of Afghanistan are to decide their future as Pakistan had no favourites in Afghanistan.

He called upon all the sides to respect human rights as withdrawal of US and NATO troops are nearing completion. “We will not allow use of Pakistan’s soil against Afghanistan,” he added.

He categorically rejected the allegations levelled against Pakistan in the United Nations and said that Pakistan should not be declared responsible for failures of others.

To a question, FM Qureshi said there was a national consensus on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor but attempts were being made to target this important national project but the work on CPEC projects will continue despite difficulties.

The FM further said that a diplomatic mechanism was available for talks with Afghanistan and if Kabul has a problem as a neighbour, it should be raised through the existing mechanism. “Pakistan believes that instead of blaming each other, we should move forward for lasting peace. Pakistan would continue with its role in the Afghan peace process as there should be no ambiguity,” he said.

To a question the foreign minister maintained that they had facilitated the Afghan civilians despite the coronavirus pandemic. “Pakistan has been a generous and hospitable host to the 3 million Afghan refugees for four decades despite its limited resources,” he said.

The FM said if there was any new influx of Afghan refugees, Pakistan did not have the capacity to host them. The FM said it would be the collective responsibility of the international community and other immediate neighbours of Afghanistan in that case.

The FM said India had violated its obligation as the United Nations Security Council’s president by not allowing Pakistan’s request to brief the forum on the situation and its role in Afghanistan peace process.

He said Pakistan had accomplished about 98 per cent work on fencing of Pak-Afghan border to stop illegal movement of people.

Citing different incidents like Serena, Dasu and Johar Town attacks, and Quetta blasts, he reiterated that work on CPEC would continue come what may.

Responding to a question, Qureshi said Pakistan had expedited its efforts to become a member of the UNSC during 2025-26.

About the incident of the abduction of Afghan ambassador’s daughter, the foreign minister said that they had shared all the details and evidences with the Afghan delegation as their moral responsibility.