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Afghanistan’s Islam Qala border with Iran closed
Afghanistan’s busy Islam Qala border crossing with Iran has been closed to travelers due to an increased concern around the spread of COVID-19.
According to the Herat governor’s office the “transit of goods between the two countries remains normal.”
“This precautionary measure has been taken by the Iranian government due to the increase in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths [in Iran],” the office said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health has put forward a proposal to President Ashraf Ghani on ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country – especially at educational institutions.
The ministry said that a decision on steps to be taken will be shared with the media as soon as possible.
This comes after the acting health minister Wahid Majrooh said recently a meeting had been held with provincial public health directors where a number of issues were discussed relating to COVID-19 including that of flights between India and Afghanistan; restrictions on border crossings at Pakistan and Iran ports; large gatherings and the activation of emergency committees.
“These cases will be shared with the leadership of the government and the Security Council so that the leadership of the government can make a decision on the issues,” Majrooh added.
The Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday reported 206 new cases of COVID-19 out of 1,877 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
The ministry also reported seven deaths and 180 recoveries from COVID-19 in the same period.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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