“Once again I am calling upon the Taliban to give up fighting, enmity and observe permanent ceasefire which is the demand of the people of Afghanistan,”…reports Asian Lite News
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday urged the Taliban to halt fighting and observe a ceasefire during the Islamic holy month month of Ramadan aimed at bolstering the peace process.
“Once again I am calling upon the Taliban to give up fighting, enmity and observe permanent ceasefire which is the demand of the people of Afghanistan,” Ghani said in his message to mark the start of Ramadan broadcast by local television channels.
The President made the remarks amid efforts to hold a peace conference on Afghanistan under UN auspices in Turkey.
The Taliban group has to prove its willingness for achieving peace in action and not in word, the Pesident said.
Afghan religious scholars have also called on the warring sides including the Taliban group to observe truce during the holy month.
Afghan security force members are seen at the site of a bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan
In war-torn Afghanistan, fighting and violence have been continuing, and in the latest wave, over 50 people including Taliban militants, government security personnel and civilians were killed, according to sources and local media reports.
According to security officials, 18 militants have been killed in Kandahar and 14 more in the neighbouring Uruzgan province since April 10.
At least 16 more insurgents have recently been killed in the Wardak, Kunduz and Samangan provinces.
According to local media reports, a former commander, Sayed Akbar Agha, said that “no sign of observing ceasefire from the Taliban” has been seen.
Local media reports said 79 security personnel and 28 civilians have been killed and 106 others including 57 civilians injured over the past seven days in Afghanistan.
In war-torn Afghanistan, fighting and violence have been continuing…reports Asian Lite News
Afghans from all walks of life are calling for ceasefire to be observed in Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on Tuesday.
In war-torn Afghanistan, fighting and violence have been continuing, and in the latest wave, over 50 people including Taliban militants, government security personnel and civilians were killed, according to sources and local media reports.
An explosive device went off in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province on Sunday afternoon, killing two civilians and injuring another, reports Xinhua news agency.
District chief Nazikmir Akbari has blamed the Taliban militants for planting the explosive device to terrorize the local residents.
Refugees from Afghanistan arrive at Skala Sikaminias, on the island of Lesvos, Greece(Xinhua/Marios Lolos/IANS)
A similar blast claimed the lives of two children in Arghandab district in the southern Kandahar province on Saturday, police spokesperson Jamal Barikzai has said.
According to security officials, 18 militants have been killed in Kandahar and 14 more in the neighbouring Uruzgan province since Saturday.
At least 16 more insurgents have recently been killed in the Wardak, Kunduz and Samangan provinces, according to officials.
“The month of Ramadan is the month of peace and brotherhood and therefore I ask the Taliban and the government to observe cease-fire and let the Afghans to live in peace at least in Ramadan,” Noorul Haq Khan, a Kabul resident, told Xinhua.
First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, at a gathering in the Shamali area outside the capital Kabul on Sunday, called on the Taliban outfit to meet the demand by the Afghan people for cease-fire and reconciliation.
Lawmaker Mohiudin Munsif was quoted by the local media as saying, “Taliban should observe ceasefire at least in Ramadan” if they want peace.
According to local media reports, a former commander, Sayed Akbar Agha, said that “no sign of observing ceasefire from the Taliban” has been seen.
Local media reports said 79 security personnel and 28 civilians have been killed and 106 others including 57 civilians injured over the past seven days in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan continues to shrink despite big claims by the PTP government. It’s trade with Afghanistan fell by 22 percent to reach $1.18 billion during 2019-2020. This is in contrast to the claims of reaching five billion over the next three years …. Writes Dr Sakariya Kareem
Helping Afghanistan prosper economically and supplying essentials to the landlocked Afghanistan was reiterated by Pakistan at the recent Heart of Asia Conference in Dushanbe. However, facts of its trade performance tell a different story of a shrinking trade.
Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan fell by 22 percent to reach $1.18 billion during 2019-2020. This is in contrast to the claims of reaching five billion over the next three years. Official sources in Islamabad as well as Kabul admit that the target is rather ambitious and does not take into account the ground reality, especially, of Pakistan’s own capacity to deliver. Notably, Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan declined 13.6 percent to $629.3 million from $728.3 million. A few years ago, Afghanistan was the second largest export destination after the US.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi speaks at a press conference in Kuwait. (Xinhua/Asad/IANS)
Trade Ministry sources in Islamabad explain that low trade performance has much to do with the unsettled conditions on both sides of the border and the Covid-19 pandemic. But the fact is that Pakistan has for long lost the Afghan market to its rivals – China, India and some of the Central Asian countries. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) explains that the loss of the Afghan market is because Iran, India and China offer value-added products, relatively attractive transit tariffs, and better consignment handling facilities. China, being the supplier of value-added goods is becoming the leading competitor and taking over the lion’s share in Afghan market. Similarly, Iran offers competitive rates, better consignment handling facilities and cost-effective transportation. In Pakistan, costs for all these facilities have increased substantially over the years.
Chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi
Meanwhile, the data of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) indicates that Pakistan’s trade deficit with the other regional countries narrowed only slightly during the period as imports from these countries also decreased. That, again, points to low capacity and poor performance. A conflict-hit Afghanistan has, actually, performed better. Pakistan’s imports from Afghanistan have surged, especially of essential kitchen items like tomatoes, potatoes, onions and fresh and dried fruits, as per SBP data.
As for land-based trade, Afghan trade transit resumed after Pakistani authorities decided to open up Torkham border on a 24/7 basis. However, every time there is a skirmish along the border due to movement of militant that Pakistan is pursuing, the border post gets closed to trade. As bilateral relations suffer, goods lie stranded and get pilfered. Perishable goods like fruit and vegetables get destroyed.
Afghanistan is compelled to explore other trade routes. Chabahar has come to its aid. Behrouz Aqaei, the Director General of Ports and Maritime Department of Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan Province explained that Chabahar is believed to be the best and economical transit route into Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
India has stepped in to help Afghanistan by sending goods via Iran’s Chabahar, or Shahid Behesti, port. In mid-April 2020, a 75,000-metric-ton consignment of Indian wheat heading for Afghanistan arrived at Chabahar to be delivered to the destination country through land borders. According to Aqaei, the Indian government sent the mentioned cargo aiming to support its trade partner during the coronavirus pandemic. The consignment consisted of 203 20-metric-feet containers that had been shipped from Kandla Port in eastern India.
Afghanistan is also acknowledging the prospect of long term change in its trade with Pakistan. Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) say that Afghanistan’s economic dependency on Pakistan has decreased following the establishment of new alternative trade and transit routes with a number of countries.
The deputy head of the ACCI, Tawfiq Dawari, aid trade and transit volume between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been decreasing. “While we use Karachi port and have bilateral trade ties with Pakistan, our trade relations have been maintained with other countries as well and the reason is that we use other countries and international markets as well,” said Dawari.
Minister of External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar said: “For a durable peace in Afghanistan, what we need is a genuine ‘double peace’, that is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan,” reports India Daily Newsdesk.
India on Tuesday said that it supports a regional process convened under the aegis of the United Nations for permanent peace in Afghanistan.
A statement by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the 9th Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, said: “We support a regional process to be convened under the aegis of the United Nations. UN stewardship would help to take into account all relevant UN resolutions and improve the odds for a lasting outcome.”
Pakistan has been for long involved in negotiations among the US, Taliban and Afghan government, Russia, China and Iran over Afghanistan. Though Jaishankar did not explicitly mention Pakistan or any other member of Asia, he was referring to the broad dialogue among all the key players in the region.
The term ‘Heart of Asia’ should not be taken lightly, he said, adding that for what happens in Afghanistan will surely affect the larger region. “A stable, sovereign and peaceful Afghanistan is truly the basis for peace and progress in our region. Ensuring that it is free of terrorism, violent extremism and drug and criminal syndicates is, therefore, a collective imperative.”
However, the situation in Afghanistan continues to be grave. Violence and bloodshed are daily realities and the conflict itself has shown little sign of abatement. The last few months have witnessed an escalation in targeted killings of civil society. 2020 marked a 45 percent increase in civilian casualties in Afghanistan over 2019. The involvement of foreign fighters in Afghanistan has continued. Jaishankar said that ‘Heart of Asia’ members and supporting countries should, therefore, make it a priority to press for an immediate reduction in violence leading to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
Afghanistan’s Abdullah Abdullah meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi iin New Delhi.
“For a durable peace in Afghanistan, what we need is a genuine ‘double peace’, that is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan. It requires harmonising the interests of all, both within and around that country. India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations,” he said.
If the peace process is to be successful, he said, then it is necessary to ensure that the negotiating parties continue to engage in good faith, with a serious commitment towards reaching a political solution. India welcomes any move towards a genuine political settlement and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan.
India, he said, remains committed to steadfastly supporting Afghanistan during this transition. Our development partnership of USD 3 billion, including more than 550 Community Development Projects covering all 34 provinces, is aimed at making Afghanistan a self-sustaining nation. The promise of more drinking water to Kabul is the latest in that list.
As the lead country on Trade, Commerce and Investment CBMs under the HoA-IP, India will continue to work on improving Afghanistan’s connectivity with the outside world. Projects like the Chahhabar Port in Iran and the dedicated Air Freight Corridor between the cities of India and Afghanistan are part of our efforts, he said.
The Secretary-General has asked Arnault to assist in achieving a political solution to the conflict, working closely with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and regional partners…reports Asian Lite News
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed French diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy on Afghanistan and regional issues.
The Secretary-General has asked Arnault to assist in achieving a political solution to the conflict, working closely with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and regional partners, Guterres’ press office said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement, Arnault brings over 30 years of diplomatic experience in peace settlements and mediation, with an extensive background in UN missions in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, including Afghanistan.
The personal envoy will be responsible for liaison with regional countries to support the negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, as well as the implementation of any agreements which are reached, said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres’ spokesman.
The appointment came ahead of multilateral peace talks on war-torn Afghanistan in Moscow on Thursday, which will include an Afghan government delegation and representatives of the Taliban, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Afghanistan’s killing fields: Taliban and its mentors have blood on their hands
Meanwhile, Turkey would also arrange a US-proposed conference on the Afghanistan peace process early in April.
The Secretary-General remains ready to support initiatives for advancing the Afghanistan peace negotiations, said Dujarric.
The concurrence of the parties will underpin any progress toward a political settlement, he added.
According to local officials, the helicopter was en route to evacuate a wounded soldier from the highly-contested province when the incident took place….reports Asian Lite News
An Afghan military helicopter crashed in Wardak province, killing all nine people on board, officials said on Thursday.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the Mi-17 helicopter crash landed in Hesa-e-Awal Behsud district, reports dpa news agency.
The statement said the victims comprised four crew members and five security personnel, adding that an investigation was underway.
According to local officials, the helicopter was en route to evacuate a wounded soldier from the highly-contested province when the incident took place.
The incident took place as a high-profile summit with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to the long-running conflict in Afghanistan was set to take place in Moscow on Thursday.
An official delegation from Kabul and the militant Taliban group are also expected to attend the conference in the Russian capital.
Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government representatives that started in September 2020 in Qatar have stalled in recent months, with no tangible progress.
Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Ghazni province, eastern Afghanistan
John Sopko accused Taliban of being responsible for the continued rise in violence
Afghanistan remains exceptionally reliant upon foreign assistance, creating both an opportunity for donors to influence events there as foreign troops depart,said John Sopko…reports Asian Lite News
The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, John Sopko, at the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security has said that the Taliban have not significantly changed their high levels of violence, or military and political objectives.
“Security remains the most crucial and enduring high-risk area for Afghanistan,” Spoko said on Tuesday, adding that “Terrorist groups in Afghanistan like Daesh and al-Qaeda, although reduced, remain in the country.”
He said that the ongoing peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban raise questions and concerns about whether the fragile gains made by women and girls will be preserved in a future peace agreement, Tolo news reported.
Afghanistan’s killing fields: Taliban and its mentors have blood on their hands
“Discrimination persists, and possible policy changes by whatever form of government might follow an Afghan peace agreement could undermine women’s gains,” he said.
Civilian casualties
Spoko also mentioned that the civilian casualties also remain high—the numbers of civilian casualties violently killed and wounded in the last quarter of 2020 were the third highest in the last two years.
He said that Afghanistan remains exceptionally reliant upon foreign assistance, creating both an opportunity for donors to influence events there as foreign troops depart, adding that “and risks to a potential peace if they reduce assistance too much, too fast, or insist on conditions that cannot be achieved by the parties to the conflict.”
Spoko added that the UN Development Programme estimates that poverty in Afghanistan, defined as income of 2,064 afghanis per person per month (around $1 a day), has increased to 68 per cent from its pre-pandemic level of 55 per cent.
“Afghanistan is poor and suffers from illiteracy, inadequate infrastructure, weak governance, and now, heavy impacts from the Covid pandemic,” he said.
SIGAR investigations have identified corruption at virtually every level of the Afghan state—from salaries paid by international donors for Afghan soldiers & police who do not exist—to theft of US-military-provided fuel on a massive scale, he said.
“While the Afghan government has repeatedly assured the international community that it has the political will to combat corruption and make needed institutional reforms, it has a mixed record of completing them,” Spoko added.
High-level officials, including President Ghani, Abdullah and foreign envoys, along with Taliban representatives, are expected to attend the meeting in Moscow…..reports Asian Lite News
Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib said that the Kabul government will participate in the UN-led conference in Turkey, proposed by the US, and the Moscow conference on the war-torn country’s peace process.
Addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Mohib said that the Afghan government is working on a delegation for the two events, TOLO News reported.
The Turkey conference was proposed by the US in a letter by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, this month.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
It is slated to take place in Istanbul next month.
High-level officials, including President Ghani, Abdullah and foreign envoys, along with Taliban representatives, are expected to attend the meeting in Moscow on March 18 to discuss the Afghan peace process.
“When it comes to participation, we will participate in the meetings,” Mohib told the press briefing.
In his letter, Blinken put forth suggestions to the Afghan government to accelerate the peace process, including convening a UN-facilitated conference with international stakeholders; proposals to facilitate discussion between the two sides to form a negotiated settlement and ceasefire; a meeting in Turkey between both sides to finalize a peace agreement; and a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence.
The meeting took place on Monday at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and visiting US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad discussed the ongoing peace process for the war-torn country, the military here said.
The meeting took place on Monday at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan earlier in the day after stops in Afghanistan and Qatar.
In a statement, the military’s media wing, ISPR said: “Matters of mutual interest, regional security and ongoing Afghanistan Reconciliation Process were discussed during the meeting.”
The meeting came as the new US administration under President Joe Biden chalked out a four-point strategy for the Afghanistan government, with a vision to end the decades long war, warning of dangerous and dire consequences if the peace deal with the Taliban is scrapped.
In a letter written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, addressed to the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Head of the Afghan peace council Abdullah Abdullah, it was warned and intimated that if the peace deal with the Taliban is negated, it would result in an opportunity for the terror outfit to make “rapid territorial gains”, which may lead to toppling of the Kabul administration.
The US and the Taliban signed an agreement in February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of American military forces from the conflict-ridden country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations.
The administration of President Joe Biden had noted that the Taliban had not met its commitment under the US-Taliban deal.
The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in American history.
Three female employees of a local TV channel Enikass were shot dead and one other staffer was injured in the attack that took place in Jalalabad city, the provincial capital…reports Asian Lite News
The Islamic State (IS) terror group on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a shooting attack that killed three female media workers in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
Three female employees of a local TV channel Enikass were shot dead and one other staffer was injured in the attack that took place in Jalalabad city, the provincial capital, on Tuesday evening.
The IS claimed in an online Arabic language statement that their fighters were behind the shooting in the province, where the group emerged in early 2015.
The mountainous province, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of clashes between security forces and IS militants from time to time.
One female TV anchor of Enikass and her driver were killed in a similar incident in December 2020.
Seven media persons were killed in 2020 amid the deteriorating security situation, according to the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), an independent media safety group.
