The writer is a former caretaker finance minister If it is in the United States’ strategic interest to bring Pakistan onto the global stage with a view to involving it in stabilising the region to which the country belongs, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s early June visit to Washington was not helpful. In part, this is because China became the reason for the increasing warmth in America’s relations with India. New Delhi and Washington came…
Posts published in “Day: June 13, 2016”
KANDAHAR – Kandahar police chief general Abdul Raziq on Sunday warned the wealthy in the province against paying their Zakat (charity) to the Taliban amid reports that businessmen, company owners and landholders were donating money to the Taliban and the Quetta Shura. He said that the money paid to the Taliban as charity funds the insurgents war. Raziq said that police will deal with those who do not abide by this in accordance with…
KABUL – A delegation from Hizb-e-Islami party has arrived in Kabul to discuss parts of the draft agreement in detail with the Afghan government. A member of the delegation, Karim Amin, told TOLOnews that Hizb-e-Islami party, led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, wants to discuss some specific terms in the deal and that they want participation in elections. “There are a number of ambiguities and questions in the draft agreement. We want them removed in order to…
The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan has vowed to continue fight as the US President Barack Obama approved broader role for the US forces in Afghanistan. Condemning the approval by Obama to grant wider role for the US forces in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the Taliban group, Zabiullah Mujahid has said the moves will not deter it or cause it to step back and give up the “armed resistance.” Mujahid further added it will only…
At least 13 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during the clearance operations in eastern Nangarhar province. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said at least 7 loyalists of the terror group were also wounded during the operations. According to a statement by MoD, the operations were conducted in Achin and Deh Bala districts of Nangarhar with the support of the Air Force and Artillery units. This comes…
KABUL – Afghanistan’s National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday announced that al-Qaeda’s move to extend allegiance to the Afghan Taliban reiterates the network’s commitments to the Taliban. Referring to the implications of the ties between the Taliban and al-Qaeda, military commentators have said that the new partnership between the two militant groups will give the foreign forces in Afghanistan a free hand to extend their attacks on al-Qaeda operatives and the Taliban in the country,…
By EHSANULLAH AMIRI in Kabul and MARGHERITA STANCATI in DUBAI Days after a U.S. airstrike in May killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, a group of Taliban fighters gathered at a mosque in western Afghanistan to pledge allegiance to their new commander, Maulavi Haibatullah Akhondzada. Then they posted a video of the ceremony on Facebook. Before the Taliban were toppled from power in the U.S.-led invasion of 2001, the hard-line Islamist group banned television, cinemas…
ISLAMABAD: Questioning the United States’ commitment to a political solution of the conflict in Afghanistan, an internal assessment conducted by Pakistani civil and military authorities has concluded that Washington may try to prolong instability in the war-torn country as part of a ‘larger strategic game’ in order to keep a check on the rise of China. The assessment came against the backdrop of recent developments, including the May 21st US drone strike in Balochistan that…
Torkham: Pakistan has expressed deep concern over reports of unprovoked firing from Afghan side of the border near Torkham, expecting the Afghan government to immediately investigate the violation. According to a PM Office spokesperson on Sunday, the government has expressed deep concern about the security of Pakistani soldiers near the border, in relation to the reports of unprovoked firing by Afghanistan’s security forces. “We consider these unprovoked attacks unhelpful in Pak-Afghan relations and expect from…
GHOTKI: A police constable in Ghotki, who reportedly tortured an aged Hindu man for selling edibles before Iftar, was arrested by police following a social media campaign calling for justice for the old man. According to police, a cop named Ali Hassan – posted in Ghotki district’s Hayat Pitafi town – was arrested on charges of torturing and injuring Gokal Das, an octogenarian. SSP Ghotki Masood Bangash told Dawn that a First Information Report (FIR)…
A Beijing school for students from predominantly minority regions of China announced late Sunday on its WeChat account that its students will continue to sit the national college entrance examinations or gaokao in Beijing up to 2018 and share the university admission quota with Beijing students. The school’s Sunday WeChat post continued, “Some parents misunderstood the admission policy and rallied with irrational behaviors; the school is deeply disappointed.” The announcement, from the High School Affiliated…