Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has issued a five-article decree ordering the Ministry of Interior Affairs to arrest those responsible for traffic accidents on the country’s highways and refer them to the relevant courts.

Under the decree, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has been instructed to fully cooperate with the Ministry of Interior in identifying and arresting those responsible for traffic accidents, as well as collecting relevant information and evidence.

The decree also instructs courts to prioritize cases related to traffic accidents and ensure the rights of the victims’ heirs are protected.

The order comes amid a reported increase in traffic accidents on Afghanistan’s highways in recent months, with the number of fatalities also rising.

The United States has ruled out cooperation with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on developing the country’s mineral resources, saying Washington has no plans to engage with the Afghan authorities.

A US State Department spokesperson told media that the United States does not do business with the Islamic Emirate and has no plans to cooperate with it on Afghanistan’s mining sector.

The statement follows comments by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who called on the United States to invest in Afghanistan’s mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade sectors.

Muttaqi said the Islamic Emirate welcomes US investment and urged Washington to look beyond the two decades of war in assessing relations between the two countries.

In an interview with the Financial Times, he said Afghanistan and the United States should focus on future cooperation rather than their past conflict.

Meanwhile, IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that Afghanistan needs good diplomatic and economic relations with Washington.

Former Pakistani ambassador and Georgetown University adjunct professor Touqir Hussain has called for a fundamental change in Islamabad’s policy toward Afghanistan, arguing that treating the country mainly as a security issue has failed.

In an article published by Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper on Wednesday, Hussain said Afghanistan has remained a challenge for Pakistan regardless of which government has ruled in Kabul. He argued that Pakistan’s past policies have contributed to worsening the situation.

Hussain described Afghanistan as primarily a political challenge with a military dimension, rather than a military problem with a political dimension. He said ethnic tensions, the rural-urban divide, sectarian differences, ideological conflicts and competition among political and regional power groups have contributed to instability.

He also criticized the United States’ military involvement in Afghanistan, saying Washington entered the war without a clear strategy and remained involved for years despite repeated failures.

Hussain said both Afghanistan and Pakistan have suffered from decades of conflict. He argued that Afghanistan’s former political leadership also bears responsibility for the country’s current situation.

On relations between Kabul and Islamabad, Hussain said Pakistan should adopt a comprehensive strategy that combines pressure and incentives on issues including border management, refugees and trade.

He also warned Pakistan against supporting Afghan opposition groups, either independently or on behalf of Washington.

“Pakistan should never become part of another American war again,” Hussain wrote, arguing that US financial assistance cannot compensate for the losses caused by failed wars.

He said a stable relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is important for the security, economic future and political stability of both countries.