Afghanistan cannot become “Scandinavian country” in 17 days, Pakistani interior minister says

Speaking to a press briefing here, Rashid said Pakistan wants peace in the neighboring country which is now ruled by the Taliban, The Express Tribune reported on Saturday.

Only 17 days have passed since the formation of the interim Afghan government by the Taliban, he said.

“It is not possible for Afghanistan to become a Scandinavian country in this short period,” Rashid said. If anyone wants Afghanistan to become a Scandinavian country, then they are at fault, because Kabul is moving forward at its own pace, he told The News International.

Norway, Sweden and Denmark are the three Scandinavian countries. All three countries are known for their high levels of equality, low unemployment rates and modern social service systems.

Speaking on humanitarian issues, Rashid said Pakistan has called on the international community to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan because it does not want anyone to starve in this war-torn country.

This is not the first time that the Minister of the Interior Rachid has compared Afghanistan to the Scandinavian countries.

Last week, he said it would be unfair for the world to expect Afghanistan to become as prosperous as some Scandinavian countries in eight days and warned that the freezing of Afghan accounts could create a humanitarian crisis.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, two weeks before the complete withdrawal of US troops on August 31 after a costly two-decade war. This forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country to the United Arab Emirates.

Taliban insurgents stormed Afghanistan and captured every major city within days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the United States and its allies melted away.

Thousands of Afghan nationals and foreigners have fled the country to escape the new Taliban regime and seek asylum in various countries, including the United States and many European countries, resulting in utter chaos and deaths.