Islamic countries are looking for a response to the emergency in Afghanistan, according to Reuters

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Muslim nations wanted to respond to the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, as neighboring Pakistan opened an extraordinary meeting of the Islamic Cooperation Organization on Sunday.

The emergency in Afghanistan, which is suffering from millions of famines as winter approaches, has caused increasing alarm, but the international community has struggled to provide a coordinated response because the West is reluctant to support the Taliban government that took power in August.

“If action is not taken immediately, Afghanistan will be in chaos,” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said in an opening remarks, adding that there may be more refugee crisis and more violence in the Islamic State. “Chaos doesn’t suit anyone,” he said.

At the two-day meeting in Islamabad, representatives of the United Nations and international financial institutions, as well as world powers from the United States, the European Union and Japan, among others.

The Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said the new government had restored peace and security and had done much to meet the demands for a more inclusive government, respecting human rights, including women’s rights.

“Everyone must accept that the political isolation of Afghanistan is not beneficial to anyone, so it is essential that everyone safeguards and upholds the prevailing stability, both politically and economically,” he said in a statement.

Taliban officials have called for help to rebuild Afghanistan’s broken economy and feed more than 20 million people at risk of starvation. A number of countries and aid organizations have begun to provide assistance, but the collapse of the country’s banking system has made it almost difficult.

Beyond immediate aid, Afghanistan needs help to ensure longer-term economic stability. There will be a lot of thawing of billions of dollars in Washington’s central bank reserves and the removal of sanctions that have caused many institutions and governments to move away from direct dealings with the Taliban.

“The Taliban government must be disconnected from Afghanistan’s 40 million people,” said Pakistani Prime Minister Khan.

Muttaqi said the Taliban would not allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for attacks on other countries and said it would not retaliate against regular government officials.

But the Taliban have been heavily criticized for excluding women and girls from work and education, outlawing large sections of Afghan society and for violating human rights and targeting former officials despite amnesty orders.