The writer has served as ambassador to Afghanistan and is a former interior secretary. The 28-member Nato alliance, in its summit in Warsaw last month, pledged to extend its support to Afghanistan until 2020. This was an expected outcome of the two days of deliberations that were focused mainly on meeting security challenges of member countries, especially those of eastern Europe. Nato’s promise to stand by the Afghan government was badly needed by a beleaguered…
Posts published in “Day: August 5, 2016”
At least 30 Taliban militants have been killed in infighting in western Herat province in the past two days, local officials said on Thursday. Officials said that supporters of Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada’s faction and Mullah Rasoul’s supporters clashed in Shindand district of the province. “Twenty supporters of Mullah Haibatullah and 10 supporters of Mullah Rasoul were killed in the past two day’s clashes,” according to officials. “Mullah Nangaialai is leading supporters of Mullah Haibatullah and…
The government of China has pledged a fresh aid package of $2.2 million to Afghanistan as the country attempts to expand role in civilian and military aid to the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan (MoFA) said the latest aid package was announced by the Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan. According to a statement by MoFA, the Chinese envoy to Afghanistan announced the aid package during a meeting with the deputy foreign minister for…
Former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai said in an interview this week that the efforts by international troops to help Afghan security forces regain territory taken by the Taliban was in fact doing more harm than any good. Speaking to the Guardian, Karzai said: “Those who ask foreign forces to bomb Afghanistan are not representing the Afghan people or their interests.” This comes after a week of heavy fighting in southern Helmand province between the…
At least 5 Pakistani militants were killed in an airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan late on Thursday night, local security authorities said. The provincial police commandment in a statement said the airstrike was carried out by the Afghan forces in Kot district. The statement further added that the 5 militants were fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group and were targeted in Elyas Baba area. Two of the…
A group of foreign tourists were attacked in the western Herat province of Afghanistan earlier today with preliminary reports suggesting at least four of them were wounded. There are no reports regarding the identity of the foreigners who were on a tour in Herat province. An official in the Ministry of Interior (MoI) confirmed that the incident took place Chesht-e-Sharif district of Herat province earlier today. The official further added that the tourists were on…
The chronic and ultimately debilitating inability of India and Pakistan to resolve any of their innumerable differences, large and small, is the single greatest impediment to development on the subcontinent. It is the drag-anchor that has killed trade opportunities in both countries, and created an exaggerated need for militarisation that is ruinously expensive and ultimately no more than window-dressing as neither side can seriously contemplate all-out war as an option no matter the severity of…
ISLAMABAD: The interior ministers of both Pakistan and India made critical remarks apparently aimed at each other’s governments on the second day of a Saarc conference here on Thursday, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries run high in the aftermath of weeks-long violence in India-held Kashmir. In his address to the Saarc interior ministers’ conference, India’s home minister made a direct jibe aimed at the Pakistani government for its strong condemnation of the killing…
ISLAMABAD: India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh on Thursday closed their ranks against Pakistan during the 7th meeting of the Saarc interior/ home ministers here. In his speech, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. I also speak for the entire humanity — not just for India or other Saarc members — in urging that in no circumstances should terrorists be eulogized as martyrs. If we are…
PESHAWAR: A division bench of the Peshawar High Court on Thursday ordered Central Prison Peshawar superintendent and a social activist to sit down and come up with measures to protect imprisoned Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari. The prisoner has been attacked by inmates on three occasions over the last couple of months. The bench, also ordered Ansari himself to decide over steps for his protection. A copy of the recommendations is to be submitted before…
PESHAWAR: Indian prisoner Hamid Nehal Ansari suffered injuries after he was attacked twice by inmates in the Peshawar Central Prison during the last two months, his lawyer told a Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday. Superintendent of the prison Masoodur Rehman also confirmed the incidents but insisted they’re of minor nature and that such incidents did happen in prisons. He also told the bench consisting of Justice Mussarat Hilali and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan that…