Latest News
Ghani arrives in DC to discuss new chapter post troops withdrawal
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and a high-ranking delegation landed in Washington DC on a direct flight from Kabul on Thursday for a two-day official visit, the Presidential Palace said.
“During the visit, the President is scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden, members of Congress and the Senate and a number of other US officials to discuss the new chapter of relations and the strengthening of bilateral relations in various fields, especially support for security and defense forces,” the palace said.
Ghani is accompanied by First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, foreign minister Haneef Atmar, national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib, AIHRC chairwoman Shahzad Akbar and other government officials.
The Afghan Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) said a delegation from the AIHRC has also traveled to the US with Ghani to discuss the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
AIHRC said humanitarian aid to the country, and support for human rights defenders and civil society will also be discussed. Violations of international humanitarian law in the country will be addressed.
Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the timeline for troops withdrawal will not change by September and that part of the discussion between Biden and Ghani on Friday will be on Biden’s commitment to working with the Afghan government in future.
The discussion will also probably take in Biden’s commitment to providing humanitarian support and over-the-horizon support around security, Psaki said.
Meanwhile Afghanistan’s Kam Air notched up an historic flight when it landed in Washington DC with Ghani and his delegation on board. The Airbus A-340 flew directly from Kabul to Washington D.C.
Latest News
Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
Kyrgyzstan has completed major construction work on its territory under the regional energy project CASA-1000, according to a recent report by the Eurasian Stabilization and Development Fund (ESDF). With key infrastructure now in place, further progress on the project depends on the completion of construction in Afghanistan, which is expected by the end of 2027.
The report notes that Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan have largely finalized their respective infrastructure components and are now awaiting the completion of the Afghan section before moving forward with full operational stages.
The CASA-1000 project, valued at approximately $1.2 billion, aims to establish a high-voltage electricity transmission line linking Central and South Asia. The initiative is designed to enable Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to export surplus hydropower during summer months, when electricity demand rises in Pakistan and Afghanistan due to increased use of cooling systems.
Construction work in Afghanistan was suspended in August 2021, at a stage when only about 18 percent of transmission structures had been installed, although more than 90 percent of equipment had already been delivered to the country. Following extended negotiations and security assurances, work on the Afghan section resumed in December 2024.
ESDF experts say that once construction in Afghanistan is completed, participating countries will be able to begin technical testing of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system. A full launch of the regional energy corridor is expected by the end of 2027, marking a significant milestone in regional energy integration between Central and South Asia.
Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Ariana Snooker Championship Season 2 set to kick off next week
Pakistan’s Achakzai calls for freer movement across disputed Durand Line
US and Iran closing in on one-page memo to end war, Axios reports
CASA-1000: Kyrgyzstan completes its part, Afghanistan work still in progress
Bayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
Etihad Airways to expand Kabul–Abu Dhabi flights to daily service amid surging demand
Afghanistan’s new cricket head coach Richard Pybus arrives in Kabul
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Millions of Afghans continue to rely on humanitarian health services
Tahawol: Diplomatic turn in Iran–US confrontation discussed
Saar: Expanding interaction between countries and IEA discussed
Tahawol: Deportation of Afghan refugees from Germany discussed
Saar: Criticism over Pakistan’s policies discussed
Tahawol: Pakistan’s dual policy on Afghanistan
-
Regional5 days agoIranian proposal rejected by Trump would open strait before nuclear talks, Iran official says
-
World4 days agoTrump says US could restart Iran strikes ‘if they misbehave’
-
Regional4 days agoIran says it has received US response to its latest offer for talks
-
Business4 days agoAfghan economic commission approves 12 major development projects across key sectors
-
Sport3 days agoAfghanistan set for Maldives four-nation tournament
-
Latest News4 days agoUN warns funding cuts are slowing mine clearance efforts in Afghanistan
-
Business3 days agoKazakhstan grain exports to Afghanistan jump sharply
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghan officials say media should align with Islamic and national values