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Arghandiwal claims he was sacked after opposing AOP contracts
Former finance minister, Abdulhadi Arghandiwal, who was fired last week by President Ashraf Ghani, said on Monday that circles within the Presidential Palace (ARG) worked to have him ousted after he refused to approve contracts.
“Some circles in ARG worked in their personal interests to stop me from working. I asked the President to tell me directly everything, not by other circles,” said Arghandiwal.
This comes two days after Ghani fired Arghandiwal and approved a new acting minister.
According to ARG, the reason for Arghandiwal’s dismissal was the delay in collection of taxes; failure to cooperate with an assessment team investigating illegal appoints at the ministry; poor management’ a lack of commitment to good governance; not abiding by Article 77 of the constitution; and for violating decrees and directions issued by ARG.
Arghandiwal meanwhile said on Monday at a press conference that he had been dismissed because he opposed the procurement of different types of meat at inflated prices for the Administrative Office of the President (AOP) and he had disagreed with officials over an oil contract.
“Ten days ago a session of national procurement was held and I told the session that we can’t approve a contract that has 18 types of meat as our soldiers don’t even have water on the battlefield; President Ghani also rejected it. The second was an oil contract; oil in bazaars is 34 AFNs but on the contract it was 41 AFN. I opposed this,” said Arghandiwal.
This comes after a member of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) claimed that the AOP had gone ahead and procured 18 types of meat and vegetables worth 30 million AFN, in a move that sparked criticsm.
ARG has not yet commented.
Arghadiwal had been a close ally of Ghani during his previous election campaigns and was recently approved by the Wolesi Jirga as finance minister.
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IEA condemns explosion in Islamabad
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has strongly condemned the explosion in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, as well as the attack on an educational center in Wana, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday expressed the Islamic Emirate’s condolences following this attack.
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Afghanistan and Kazakhstan pledge deeper cooperation in trade and technology during phone talks
During the call, Minister Kosherbayev expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the recent devastating earthquakes.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephone conversation with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister, Yermek Kosherbayev, to discuss strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced.
During the call, Minister Kosherbayev expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the recent devastating earthquakes and said Kazakhstan would dispatch a humanitarian mission to Kabul, including medical personnel, medicines, and essential supplies.
Muttaqi thanked Kazakhstan for its continued support and noted that two humanitarian aid consignments—amounting to 3,700 tons—had already been delivered to Afghanistan this year.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, banking, mining, and digital technologies, and agreed to maintain regular political dialogue aimed at deepening friendly relations between the two countries.
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Pakistan PM says peace depends on Kabul curbing militants
Sharif also commended Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating peace talks between Pakistan and the IEA, adding that “a peaceful Afghanistan holds the key to regional connectivity, peace, and prosperity.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) must ensure that militant groups operating from Afghan soil are restrained, emphasizing that regional peace depends on it.
“Afghanistan must understand that lasting peace can only be realized by reining in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other terrorist groups operating from its territory,” the prime minister said while addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad.
He noted that the theme of the conference, Peace, Security and Development, was both timely and relevant, especially for Pakistan, which has long advocated for peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
“We firmly believe that peace and security form the foundation of sustainable national and regional development,” he said, adding that “the true value of peace is most profoundly understood when we are confronted with conflicts that continue to plague our world.”
Referring to recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Shehbaz described Islamabad’s response as “firm and decisive,” saying it had delivered “an unforgettable lesson.”
He also commended Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating peace talks between Pakistan and the IEA, adding that “a peaceful Afghanistan holds the key to regional connectivity, peace, and prosperity.”
“Peace has remained elusive for decades, but Pakistan has never lost hope,” the prime minister said. “We believe in a peaceful neighborhood and continue to strive toward that goal.”
His remarks came just days after the third round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul ended without agreement. Negotiators, with mediation from Türkiye and Qatar, failed to bridge differences on mechanisms to monitor and prevent cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later stated that the negotiations were “over” and had “entered an indefinite phase.” He added that while the ceasefire remained in place, any violation “from their side” would be met with a “befitting response.”
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that three senior Turkish officials are expected to visit Islamabad this week to discuss tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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