The Pentagon is set to cut salaries of ‘ghost’ soldiers in Afghanistan, U.S officials said.
US officials hoped that by the end of this year the problem will be resolved and that salaries of only actual Afghan troops will be paid.
“Afghanistan is important to us because it intersects with our vital national interests,” said Colonel Stephen Michael, the Deputy Director of the Pakistan/ Afghanistan Coordination Cell of the US Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He added that they will ensure that nothing will happen in Afghanistan to threaten the U.S’s interests.
However, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) rejects the existence of ‘ghost’ soldiers in the Afghan National Army (ANA) ranks.
“There are no ghost soldiers in the MoD and we have taken a number of important steps in this regard,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the MoD.
Afghan security forces spend $5 billion USD annually and a large part of the amount is paid by the United States.
Chairman of the subcommittee on oversight and investigations of the US house committee on armed services, Vicky Hartzler, said that Afghan security forces do not have sufficient fighter aircrafts and helicopters. She said that aircraft are important to provide support to forces on the ground.
Meanwhile, security officials said that they are well prepared for the next fighting season.
“We have all the preparations in place to tackle the threats that we will face,” said Mohammad Ayub Salangi, the Deputy Minister of Interior.
The recent findings of U.S forces show that 25,000 of the 195,000 registered Afghan troops do not exist.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/23838-pentagon-to-cut-salaries-of-ghost-soldiers
Pakistani trucks will carry cargo to Central Asian States without visas from July: Dastgir
Karachi: Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan announed on Friday announced that Pakistani trucks will not require visas to carry cargo to Central Asian States starting from July this year, Radio Pakistan reported.
Referring to developments relating to Pakistan’s regional and international trade, Dastgir said, “Trucks coming from Afghanistan will also benefit from the same facilities and immunity.”
Speaking to the media in Karachi, the minister also stated that Pakistan will be ready to begin trade with Iran as soon as the ban on transfer of money to and from Iran is lifted.
“Pakistan has planned to open two new trade routes from Gabid Ridaan and Mand-Pishin areas,” he added.
Dastgir further announced that following restoration of the Taftan-Quetta railway link, work on Quetta-Tehran-Istanbul rail link will also be carried out. This rail link will facilitate movement of Pakistani cargo to Europe via Turkey.http://tribune.com.pk/story/1050245/pakistani-trucks-will-carry-cargo-to-central-asian-states-without-visas-from-july-dastgir/
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