KARACHI: Pakistan’s construction companies could be part of the reconstruction process in Afghanistan, realising that the trade ambitions of the landlocked Central Asian Republics using the Afghan corridor, and rake in dividends, as Kabul unlocks its mineral wealth probably with the Chinese help, an official said on Saturday. Businessmen Panel (BMP) chairman Anjum Nisar said … Read more
TEHRAN: Nearly 33,000 children have been killed and maimed in Afghanistan amid its 20-year war, an average of one child every five hours, an Iranian media outlet has said. “The numbers were a devastating insight into the deadly cost of war on children,” PressTV reported on Wednesday, citing data from Save the Children, a London-headquartered … Read more
KABUL: The Taliban military chief on Saturday ordered Taliban members to avoid aerial gun firing after two people were killed and 10 wounded on Friday night in Kabul, a Taliban media official confirmed. Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, military chief of Taliban movement, have instructed all provincial governors and police chiefs to strictly control and avoid aerial … Read more
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked Pakistan and seven other countries for their support of continuing UN operations in Afghanistan, which is facing a major humanitarian crisis. “The Secretary-General is indeed very grateful for the generosity of member states – including Pakistan, Denmark, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Poland, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United … Read more
“America is back,” goes President Joe Biden’s catchphrase, but his unapologetic exit from Afghanistan shows America won’t be back to business as usual. Beyond the trauma of the Kabul evacuation, Biden is pitching a much broader retreat: a halt to using vast military resources to impose order and US values around the planet. “This decision … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Clad in a shalwar kameez, a young boy in his 20s looks tired and disappointed, but he’s surrounded by people, who are anxious to hear news about their homeland, Afghanistan. Darya Khan, is a new resident of the muddy settlement for Afghan refugees alongside Islamabad’s National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). It took … Read more
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced on Thursday that Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan at Chaman may be closed for some days due to ‘threats’. Addressing the media in Islamabad, the minister assured everyone that Pakistan’s forces are present at the border. “We are proud of our security institutions for the service they are rendering for … Read more
The Taliban are close to forming their government, naming Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, as the country’s supreme leader, a Taliban official told The New York Times. The announcement, which will also lay out key appointments to the communications and interior ministries, may come as soon as Thursday, the Times said, citing the official who requested anonymity. … Read more
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has cautioned the West of the serious consequences of abandoning Afghanistan which could result in civil war and economic collapse. In an interview with Sky News, the foreign minister stressed upon the West to engage with Taliban because otherwise, Afghanistan could descend into another chaos. He said it “will give … Read more
The Netherlands Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag will arrive in Islamabad today to discuss the situation in Afghanistan with her Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. “The two foreign ministers will exchange views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan. The talks will also cover bilateral matters,” said the Foreign Office in a statement on Wednesday. It added … Read more
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has urged the world community to stay engaged with Afghanistan for peace and stability. Addressing a joint news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday along with his German counterpart Heiko Maas after delegation-level talks, the foreign minister said humanitarian assistance must flow and economic collapse of Afghanistan must not be allowed. … Read more
The UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for Taliban to facilitate safe passage for people wanting to leave Afghanistan, allow humanitarians to access the country, and uphold human rights, including for women and children. Thirteen of the 15 ambassadors voted in favour of the resolution, which further demanded that Afghanistan should not be used … Read more
The United States has pulled all its troops out of Afghanistan, ending its longest war to cries of shame at home and celebratory gunfire from its victorious Taliban enemies in Kabul. The last of the American troops overseeing a desperate evacuation effort flew out of Kabul airport on Monday night, completing a withdrawal that has … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid on Monday clarified that so far no ‘refugee status’ had been granted to anyone in the wake of foreigners’ evacuation and takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference, he said that on daily basis, many people come and return back from the Chaman border as per … Read more
With the Taliban take over in Afghanistan, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa told parliamentarians on Monday that Pakistan’s “timely steps for western zone border management” had ensured that the country’s borders were ‘secure’. “Due to our timely steps for western zone border management, today despite challenges Pakistan’s borders are secure … Read more
As part of the humanitarian air bridge, the first cargo flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying medical supplies of World Health Organisation (WHO) landed in Mazar-e-Sharif on Monday. The PK-234 (Boeing 777 AP-BHV), flew from Dubai and landed at the Mazar-e-Sharif Airport – the first international flight to the country’s fourth-largest city after the … Read more
Forming the government in Afghanistan is the responsibility of the Afghan people, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said stressing that regional powers will have to help to stabilize the country. In an interview with TRT World, the information minister said that Pakistan’s efforts for inclusive government in Afghanistan must be supported. “Pakistan is working with regional … Read more
A senior official of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), after a visit to Afghanistan, said that the world “cannot abandon Afghan children now” when their needs are greater than ever before. UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia George Laryea-Adjei said children have paid the heaviest price in recent weeks of increased conflict and insecurity in … Read more
