Given the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission noted that “almost half of Afghanistan’s population was in dire need of humanitarian assistance" DUBAI: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is closely and cautiously monitoring Afghanistan’s evolving human rights and humanitarian situation, the group said in a statement. “There is an urgent need to contain the fall out of ongoing political instability to preempt chaos and violence and restore the rule of law, democratic institutions, and constitutional protections to uphold fundamental freedoms and human rights in all circumstances, which is also in accordance with egalitarian Islamic values and universal human rights standards,” the statement added. With the Taliban taking over the capital Kabul, the commission urged “all stakeholders to take necessary actions to protect the right to life, security, and dignity of all Afghan peoples and international citizens residing in Afghanistan, including humane treatment of combatants in custody, in compliance with the international human rights and humanitarian law and teachings of our noble religion Islam.” Given the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission noted that “almost half of Afghanistan’s population was in dire need of humanitarian assistance.” The commission called on the UN and the OIC to “facilitate an inclusive dialogue in the Afghan society to safeguard the human rights and humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan, including children, women and girls, internally displaced people, the disabled, educators, media and civil society actors.”