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‘All deals off’ with IEA if militant concerns are not tackled, says Pakistan’s special envoy
Muhammad Sadiq Khan’s comments came only two weeks after his talks with senior IEA officials on a wide range of issues, including the TTP.
Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, warned on Monday that “all deals with Afghanistan are off” if the Islamic Emirate government fails to act on Islamabad’s concerns regarding terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.
Pakistan has long accused the IEA of not doing enough to stop militants from carrying out attacks on Pakistani soil. The IEA has however repeatedly denied the accusations and said they will not allow any individual or group to threaten another country from Afghanistan.
Addressing a seminar at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Khan said: “TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) is a challenge, a big challenge for us. It cannot be tolerated because our young kids and boys are getting killed every day.”
“Afghanistan will have to work with us on this. If they are not working with us, then all deals are off. Nothing could have happened. There would be no further progress on anything,” he stated.
His comments came only two weeks after his talks with senior IEA officials on a wide range of issues, including the TTP.
Khan also stated at the seminar that in the past year, at least 500 Afghan nationals have been involved in terrorist attacks in Pakistan and that this number is on the rise.
On the refugee issue, he said there has been an outcry about Islamabad’s decision to deport Afghans in Pakistan. He added however that so far this year only 568 Afghans have been deported, opposed to the 1.5 million Afghan refugees sent home from Iran last year. This, he said, did not cause an outcry as has happened in Pakistan.
He also said India was behind militants in Afghanistan, providing them with financial support.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
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Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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