Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says Afghanistan needs economic reforms, women’s empowerment, improved public welfare and regional trade to achieve sustainable development.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said Afghanistan cannot achieve sustainable development while remaining trapped in a war-based economy and a politics of confrontation, urging the Afghan interim government to prioritize public welfare, education, health care, women’s economic empowerment and regional trade.
Tarar said Afghanistan’s economic stability and long-term development depended on a shift away from conflict-oriented policies toward measures that improve the lives of ordinary citizens. He stressed that sustainable progress would remain difficult unless the government focused on essential public services and created opportunities for economic participation.
The minister said Afghan women must be given opportunities to participate in economic activities and become part of the workforce. Restricting their access to education and employment, he argued, would limit the country’s economic potential, while empowering women could help strengthen the national economy.
He also highlighted the capabilities of the Afghan population, saying the country had considerable human potential. However, realizing that potential required an environment in which citizens could access equal opportunities and contribute to economic and social development.
Tarar criticized social restrictions and regulations concerning clothing in Afghanistan. Referring to reports of men being arrested in Kabul for wearing clothing resembling outfits from the British television drama Peaky Blinders, particularly trench coats and flat caps, he said restrictions on personal freedoms for both men and women could create obstacles to progress.
The minister’s remarks underscored the importance of policies that support individual freedoms, expand economic opportunities and direct government attention toward public needs rather than confrontation.
Regional trade was another key aspect of Tarar’s comments. He said Afghanistan’s geographic position could provide shorter trade access to Central Asian countries, potentially creating economic benefits for the wider region.
He emphasized that realizing these opportunities would require clear and constructive decisions by the Afghan interim government to facilitate trade and promote public development.
Tarar also highlighted Pakistan’s geographic advantages, including its seaports and trade routes connecting it with China. He said these assets gave Pakistan an important position in regional commerce and could support broader trade connectivity.
Afghanistan, he added, also had opportunities to benefit from regional economic cooperation. Whether those opportunities could be realized would depend on the Afghan government’s willingness to prioritize the needs and aspirations of its people and pursue policies that encourage trade and economic collaboration.
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