ISLAMABAD:Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said stability in Afghanistan is a critical for prosperity of South Asia and the wider world.

In his remarks at a seminar here in Islamabad, he said Afghanistan must not be seen through a regional prism, but as a shared and collective responsibility. The Foreign Minister said instability in Afghanistan will have negative consequences for the entire world.

He said failure is not an option. If the world community fails in Afghanistan yet again, it will result in a fresh influx of refugees, enhanced space for terrorism and a rise in drug trafficking. The Foreign Minister said if the wheels of the economy remain jammed, the gains can be reversed. We must not allow that to happen again.

He said Pakistan has always advocated consistent engagement with Afghanistan. At this critical juncture, the importance of delinking humanitarian assistance from political considerations cannot be overstated. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan believes that continued engagement between the interim Afghan government and the international community would help ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for Afghanistan.