Pakistan, Sept. 18 -- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called on countries worldwide to engage with the Taliban's interim government in Afghanistan or risk a "humanitarian crisis" resulting from the collapse of the state.

His comments in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Friday followed a visit to Afghanistan this week and two days of talks with Pakistani leaders.

The UN refugee chief said that while humanitarian assistance had been pledged to address immediate food and other shortages, the issue of frozen Afghan government assets leading to a lack of functioning of state institutions was a core concern.

"It is important that the international community finds the necessary direction, the necessary way...