Page 8 - Afghanistan

Jaishankar speaks to Afghan FM, thanks him for condemning Pahalgam attack

India on Thursday welcomed Kabul's firm rejection of attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan during a phone conversation between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. In the first publicly acknowledged phone conversation, Jaishankar also "deeply" appreciated Muttaqi's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack. "Welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports," Jaishankar said, in an apparent reference to a report in a section of the Pakistani media that claimed India had "hired" the Taliban to carry out a "false flag" operation at Pahalgam. "Underlined our traditional friendship with the Afghan people and continuing support for their development needs. Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward," he added. The external affairs minister described the conversation as "good". India has not yet recognised the Taliban .

4.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Pakistan; third seismic event in 3 days

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Pakistan days after twin weekend tremors; no damage reported, but experts flag rising seismic activity in the region

Afghan defence ministry rejects Pak claims about Indian missile strikes

Afghanistan and India reject Pakistan's claims of Indian missile strikes on Afghan territory, calling them baseless and part of a broader misinformation campaign by Pakistani state agencies

Pakistan losing Rs 3.4 trn due to misuse of Afghan Transit Trade facility

Pakistan is losing Rs 3.4 trillion, including a nearly 30 per cent loss because of misuse of the Afghan Transit Trade facility due to illicit trade, according to a report. The losses estimated by the Policy Research Institute of Market Economy (PRIME) in its report titled "Combatting Illicit Trade in Pakistan" are equal to 26 per cent of this fiscal year's annual tax target, reported The Express Tribune newspaper. The report estimates an annual tax revenue loss of Rs 3.4 trillion on account of an estimated USD 123 billion informal economy, according to the report released on Thursday. It underlined that the illicit trade has emerged as a critical challenge for Pakistan's economy, undermining formal businesses, eroding government revenues, and jeopardising consumer safety. From smuggled petroleum and counterfeit pharmaceuticals to non-tax-paid cigarettes and under-invoiced consumer goods, illicit trade has entrenched itself across key sectors, it added. The country's intelligence a

Senior Indian diplomat holds talks with Taliban's acting foreign minister

India's point-person on Afghanistan Anand Prakash held talks with Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed political and trade issues, Afghan media reported on Sunday. In the meeting held in Kabul, the acting foreign minister emphasised the expansion of political and economic relations with India, Tolo news reported. Muttaqi emphasised the increase in diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and added Indian investors should take advantage of opportunities to invest in Afghanistan, the media outlet said quoting an Afghan spokesperson. The visit by Prakash, the joint secretary heading the division for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in the Ministry of External Affairs, comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. It is not known whether the issue figured in Prakash-Muttaqi talks. India has not yet recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclus

Pakistan, Afghanistan vow to prevent terror attacks from their territories

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Saturday to not allow the use of their territories for any terror attacks against each other as the leaders of the two nations met in Kabul to rebuild ties unsettled due to militancy and expulsion of Afghan refugees. The agreement was reached during the daylong visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Afghanistan where he met Afghanistan's top leadership and discussed key topics of mutual interest. Dar called on Acting Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund and also held delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who had invited him for the visit. Dar's day-long visit comes amid an intensified drive against illegal Afghan refugees, with Pakistan making it clear that the only way for Afghans to stay in the country was to have entered legally with a visa, and growing tensions rooted in Islamabad's security concerns. Addressing a press conference after the talks, Dar said that the .

5.8-magnitude quake in Afghanistan shakes J-K, no casualties reported

A moderate-intensity earthquake with its epicentre in Afghanistan shook Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said and added there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property. A 5.8-magnitude quake hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region, with the epicentre at a longitude of 71.20 degrees east and a latitude of 36.10 degrees north, at a depth of 130 kilometres, the officials said. The National Center for Seismology said the epicentre was 396 kilometres northwest of Srinagar. The tremors were felt in Jammu and Kashmir as well, sparking panic among the public, the officials said.

Pak deputy PM visits Kabul as crackdown on Afghan refugees intensifies

Pakistan announced to further tighten the noose around Afghan refugees as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday began his day-long maiden trip to Kabul to reset the frayed ties. Dar, who is also the foreign minister, would hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi after he was invited by his counterpart for the visit. According to the Foreign Office, Dar would also call on Acting Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund and meet Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. A high-level delegation accompanied Dar and his parleys would cover the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. The trip came as a drive against illegal Afghan refugees intensified, with Pakistan making it clear that the only way for Afghans to stay in the country was to have entered legally with a

Imran Khan lambasts Pak govt for mistreatment of Afghan nationals

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has lambasted the Shehbaz Sharif-government for mistreatment of Afghan nationals saying, the current anti-Afghanistan policy will only breed more resentment and escalate terrorism in the country. The ongoing treatment of Afghan refugees is nothing short of disgraceful. The ruling mafia, desperate to cling to power, will stop at nothing. The current anti-Afghanistan policy will only breed more resentment and escalate terrorism, Khan, 72, said in a post on X on Thursday. The Pakistan government is currently deporting illegal and undocumented Afghans. Around 15,000 Afghan nationals have been deported from the Punjab province alone since March 31 deadline for them to return voluntarily.

Earthquake of magnitude 5.9 strikes Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region

As per the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters

US secy of state expressed interest in deepening co-op in many sectors: Pak

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that cooperation in economy and trade would be the "hallmark" of future ties with Pakistan. Rubio made the comments during a telephonic conversation with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Office said in a statement. It said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional security, and economic cooperation. Dar reiterated Pakistan's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the US. He emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and counter-terrorism. Rubio reciprocated the desire to collaborate with Pakistan in trade and investment in various sectors, especially critical minerals, saying that cooperation in economy and trade would be the hallmark of future relations between the two countries. Dar highlighted Pakistan's efforts in successfully fighting terrorism during 2013-18, which caused Pakistan huge economic and human losses. The two leaders

Pak govt finalises arrangements to detain, deport Afghans as deadline nears

Officials in Pakistan said they have completed arrangements to detain and expel a certain category of Afghan citizens after the March 31 deadline for their voluntary return to Afghanistan. A high-level meeting on Friday reviewed the arrangements to repatriate the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders after the March 31 deadline. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired the meeting. The Pakistan government in January asked the ACC holders to leave Pakistan by the end of March or face deportation. Pakistani authorities refused to reset the deadline for their return despite requests by the Afghan government and rights bodies. In Friday's meeting, officials informed that all arrangements have been completed to send ACC holders back to Afghanistan. The officials said that holding centres have been set up to detain Afghan citizens before their deportation, with food and healthcare facilities arranged at the facilities, the Dawn newspaper reported. Naqvi said the federal government was ...

Imran Khan calls Balochistan govt 'illegitimate,' warns against 1971 repeat

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder-leader said the situation in Balochistan cannot improve unless the genuine public representatives are brought into the mainstream

US lifts bounties on senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani

The US has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister who also heads a powerful network blamed for bloody attacks against Afghanistan's former Western-backed government, officials in Kabul said Sunday. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who acknowledged planning a January 2008 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which killed six people, including US citizen Thor David Hesla, no longer appears on the State Department's Rewards for Justice website. The FBI website on Sunday still featured a wanted poster for him. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said the US government had revoked the bounties placed on Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. These three individuals are two brothers and one paternal cousin, Qani told the Associated Press. The Haqqani network grew into one of the deadliest arms of the Taliban after the US-led 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The group employed roadside bombs, suicide bombings and other attacks, including on th

Pak sends envoy to Afghanistan to discuss trade, terrorism and refugees

Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq Khan on Friday met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul with both sides agreeing to enhance high-level engagements and dialogue to further consolidate bilateral relations. Khan is undertaking an official visit to Afghanistan from March 21-23 at the direction of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a press release here. The visit comes days after Pakistan formally lodged a strong protest with Afghanistan over the use of its soil in the recent train hijacking in the restive Balochistan by Balochistan Liberation Army militants in which 21 civilians and four soldiers were killed. It also comes three days after the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened after 27 days of closure following successful negotiations between jirga members from both sides. Met Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, today. ...

Unicef urges Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as schools reopen

The UN children's agency on Saturday urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to immediately lift a lingering ban on girls' education to save the future of millions who have been deprived of their right to education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The appeal by UNICEF comes as a new school year began in Afghanistan without girls beyond sixth grade. The ban, said the agency, has deprived 400,000 more girls of their right to education, bringing the total to 2.2 million. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education, with the Taliban justifying the ban saying it doesn't comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated," Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. All girls must be allowed to return to school now. If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for ...

In 'surprise visit', US delegation meets Afghanistan's foreign minister

The surprise visit coincides with speculation that the Trump administration 'reassessing' its approach to engaging with the Taliban

Taliban rejects Pak proposal to halt construction of 2 posts near border

Afghanistan's Taliban regime has rejected Pakistan's proposal regarding suspending the construction of two posts near the border as a result of which the Torkham border crossing will remain closed. The movement of people via the Torkham border crossing has been suspended since February 21 after Pakistani and Afghan security forces developed differences over construction activities on both sides of the border. The Afghan Jirga (tribal council) members on Monday requested time until the same evening to consult their concerned authorities in Kabul about halting construction of check posts on disputed land. Afghan sources said the Taliban has rejected the Pakistani delegation's proposal to halt the construction of two posts near the border. Although the Pakistani delegation was hopeful that their recommendations would be accepted, Afghan officials dismissed the proposal as unreasonable. Afghan sources stated that the conditions presented by the Pakistan government were against the Isl

'Focus inward, not blame': India rejects Pak claim on Jaffar Express attack

Rejecting Pakistan's allegations, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the world knows where the epicentre of terrorism lies, and Pakistan must stop shifting blame and take responsibility

Baloch attack: Pak points finger at Afghanistan, says 'We have evidence'

Pakistan accused India of sponsoring terrorism on Thursday without directly implicating it in the Balochistan train attack that killed 21 passengers. Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan at the weekly press briefing was asked several questions about the deadly attack on Tuesday, which led to a hostage situation lasting for more than 24 hours. Terrorists were in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident, he said, adding that Pakistan has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for their attacks against Pakistan. We urge Afghanistan to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers, of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and cooperate with the government of Pakistan to bring all those who are concerned with this attack, including the real sponsors of terrorism to justice, he said. When asked about any change of policy because India was blamed in the past