When the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001, Afghan people especially women were optimistic about their future. They were dreaming of a new dawn—better living standard and no fear of rights’ violation. They were hoping that their rights would not be violated any more because democracy promises rights’ protection. Afghan people were seeing democracy as solution to their problems. Several donors came forward to support human rights organizations and projects. The number of so-called…
Posts published in “Day: July 22, 2016”
At least 48 militants fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during the operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the militants were killed during the operations conducted in the vicinity of Achin district. MoD further added that the operations were jointly conducted by Afghan army and other security institutions including the Afghan Air Force. Some weapons and ammunition belonging to the…
AT-KABUL: Taliban insurgents have launched a series of armed attacks in insecure parts of Kunduz province aimed at capturing Qala-e-Zal and Dasht-e-Archi districts, security official confirmed on Thursday. Security forces and the militants suffered heavy casualties in the clashes that erupted this week in Qala-e-Zal and expanded to Dasht-e-Archi on Thursday. However, exact details regarding the casualties are unavailable as the security forces are still fighting the Taliban to establish writ of the government in…
Pakistan observed “Black Day” on Wednesday as a sign of protest against Indian atrocities in Indian held Jammu and Kashmir and in order to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their demand for their right to self determination. Pakistan has also raised the issue of Kashmir at the international stage with Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, reminding UN officials of their duty to ensure that the rights of Kashmiris are…
The apparent suicides of at least three officials last week once again highlighted another “new normal” emerging in the mainland’s massive bureaucracy – an increasing number of suicides and “abnormal deaths”. Last Sunday alone, within six hours, two high-ranking officials in Guangdong were found dead in apparently unrelated suicides. Liu Xiaohua, 57, a deputy secretary general of the provincial Communist Party committee, hanged himself at home in Guangzhou, while Xiao Bibo, 47, the female head…
More than 1,900 suspects have been detained in a crackdown by Chinese authorities against crimes involving illegal obtainment of citizens’ private information. During the campaign, which began in April, police nationwide have handled over 750 related criminal cases, seized more than 23 billion pieces of private information and deleted over 352,000 pieces of illegal information, the Ministry of Public Security said Wednesday. The campaign has also seen the closure of more than 610 websites and…
The writer is a retired air-vice marshal, former ambassador and a security and political analyst. October 12, 1999 was a normal day as far as routine functioning went. I was at home free from my daily chores of taking care of the air chief as his personal staff officer. Surely elsewhere, like the Prime Minister’s House, thing would have gone on per normal; at least no sign of an abnormality had come to our notice.…
Over the past month, hundreds were killed in attacks attributed to ISIS and its inspired supporters in the United States, France, Germany, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. The latest attacks, including the Bastille Day truck massacre, remind that while the group is losing territory, it is not necessarily weakening as a threat. To make real headway in the evolving fight against ISIS, analysts and practitioners must focus on the local politics that drive individuals to…