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Posts published in August 2016

The enigma of Pak-Afghan relations: By Imdad Hussain in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2016

The writer is an Islamabad-based writer specialising in diplomatic and security issues The launching of combing operations by the Pakistan Army in areas close to the Pak-Afghan border in a bid to hunt down terrorists behind the American University attack in Kabul indicates a positive trajectory in the complex ties between the two countries. To share details of the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called Army Chief General Raheel Sharif. Condemning the attack, General Raheel…

Taliban bomb kill own commander and 4 comrades in West of Afghanistan By KHAAMA PRESS – Tue Aug 30 2016

A Taliban commander was killed in an explosion in western Herat province of Afghanistan along with four other Taliban insurgents. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the slain Taliban commander was identified as Taj Mohammad and fell prey to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by fellow militants. According to a statement by MoD, the incident took place in Shindand district which is among the relatively volatile districts in Herat. The statement further added that…

Four Haqqani Commanders Killed In Janikhail Airstrike TOLOnews.com, 30 August 2016

Four Haqqani commanders were killed in an Afghan Air Force airstrike in Janikhail in Paktia province on Monday night, provincial officials said. According to the governor’s spokesman Naqib Attal said the commanders killed were Abdul Wali, Kakai, Khaibar and Matiullah. Meanwhile provincial council members have blasted government for not taking adequate security measures to retake Janikhail which fell to the Taliban late last week. Attal said that about 70 families have fled the area and…

‘Afghanistan is plagued by internal problems’: REPORT in Dawn, August 31st, 2016

ISLAMABAD: More than the issues of trust between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Afghanistan is affected by its internal problems, said director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Kristian Berg Harpviken at the launch of his book on Tuesday. The launch of ‘A Rock Between Hard Places: Afghanistan as an Arena of Regional Insecurity’ was hosted by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at a local hotel. Mr Harpviken has studied Afghanistan and the…

Chaman border crossing remains shut as talks end in failure: Dawn, Aug 31, 2016

QUETTA: With another flag meeting between Pakistani and Afghan border officials in Chaman ending in failure to break the impasse over opening of the border crossing, the Friendship Gate remained closed to travellers from the two countries on Tuesday. The border crossing was closed earlier this month by the Pakistani authorities after some Afghans burnt a Pakistan flag at Vesh, on the Afghan side of the border. During the meeting the Pakistani officials — led…

Pakistan, Afghanistan discuss border issues: by Ahmad Nabi in The Nation, Aug 31, 2016

KHYBER AGENCY – A flag meeting between security officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan discussed on Tuesday matters relating to Pak-Afghan sharing border Torkham, said official sources. The meeting was held in Frontier Corps (FC) compound at Torkham. Col Taufeeq and Assistant Political Agent (APA) Landikotal Rahim Mehsud represented Pakistan while Col Nisar of Afghan border police, gate commander Amin Jan and Afghan customs collector Shoaib joined talks from Afghanistan side. The sources confirmed that the…

Pakistan Bans Entry To Afghans Holding Visas For India by Zarmina Mohammadi in Tolo News, Aug 30, 2016

In a recent policy shift, India’s traditional rival Pakistan has slapped new sanctions on Afghan nationals who have an Indian visa in their passports. On Tuesday, director of Hamid Karzai International Airport, Jabbarkhail said that over the past few days Pakistan has deported or banned entry to at least ten Afghans after finding Indian visas in their passports. In response to the move by Pakistan, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has said the decision…

Indo-US warmth: edit in Pakistan Today, Aug 31, 2016

John Kerry’s words, that the expanded strategic and economic relationship with India “couldn’t come at a more important time” underscores the double coincidence of wants that drives this barter. Nothing could suit Washington more in the region than the Pivot to Asia playing out as planned – with the possible exception of the Afghanistan war wrapping up as planned as well. And it works just fine for Delhi that US warmth is coming just when…

Picking Sides: edit in The Nation, August 31, 2016

A shift in regional allegiances was on the cards as soon as the United States (US) led coalition started its drawback from Afghanistan; Pakistani assistance was no longer necessary in the war effort and the next major conflict zone became the Middle East. A period of uncertainty – or alternatively, possibility – followed where countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China and Iran, explored diplomatic options that were closed by the polarising presence of the…

No conflict in Kerry, Pentagon’s statement on Haqqani network: Kirby Report in The News online, Aug 31, 2016

WASHINGTON: Labeling the Haqqani network as a terror threat, the US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby said on Wednesday that there was no conflict in the statements of John Kerry and the Pentagon. During a media briefing, John Kirby said that the Haqqani network and other terrorist outfits, which continued to exist in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, were a threat for the peace and stability of the entire region. He further said that United…

India needs to stop being suspicious of China for the sake of the Myanmar peace process By Hu Weijia in Global Times, Aug 31, 2016

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. It is regrettable to see some Indians are still in a zero-sum mindset and treat China’s increasing influence in Myanmar with suspicion and even hostility. Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent trip to China has been widely associated with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw’s visit to India, with the Times of India on Tuesday describing Myanmar as “a theatre of geopolitical competition between India…