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Indian officials meet with Taliban in Doha: Report

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A senior Qatari official said Indian officials made a “quiet visit” to Doha where they met with the Taliban’s political leadership.

India Today reported Tuesday that speaking at a virtual event, ‘Looking Towards Peace in Afghanistan after the US-NATO Withdrawal’, organised by Arab Center Washington DC, Qatar’s Special Envoy of the State of Qatar for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani said, “There has been a quiet visit by Indian officials to speak with the Taliban. Why? Because not everybody is believing that the Taliban will dominate and take over because the Taliban is a key component or is going to be a key component of the future of Afghanistan.”

Al Qahtani’s comment comes after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Qatari leadership twice on June 9 and June 15. During these meetings he met with the Qatari Foreign Minister and the National Security Advisor, as well as US Special Representative on Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

Responding to a question by an Indian journalist about his meetings with the Qatari leadership, US Special envoy Zalmay Khalizad and the role of India in Afghanistan, Mutlaq Al Qahtani said, “I see the reason behind the talks or dialogue or reaching out to all parties in Afghanistan. It is important to keep in mind that we are in a critical stage at this time and if any meeting is going to take place, it should be for one main reason, which is to encourage the parties to solve their differences by peaceful means.”

India Today reported that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), however, declined to comment on Al Qahtani’s statement. There has been no official word or confirmation by the MEA on any engagement with the Taliban leadership since the Doha talks began or even before, India Today reported.

Asked whether talks between India and Pakistan were being discussed as part of the Afghanistan reconciliation process, the Qatari special envoy said, “Should not allow Afghan soil to be used as proxy among any countries. It is in the interest of Pakistan to have a more stable Afghanistan. It is in the interest of India, of course, to have a more stable Afghanistan. We understand Pakistan as a neighbouring country and India as country that assisted a lot economically in Afghanistan and want Afghanistan to be peaceful and stable.”

While India has not officially engaged the Taliban, Indian representatives have attended key Afghan processes, including the inauguration ceremony for the Doha talks.

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Needy families in Nangarhar receive Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation

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On the occasion of Ramadan, Bayat Foundation delivered food aid to dozens of needy families in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar this week.

The organization’s officials said that the aid packages include flour, rice, and cooking oil, which was distributed to the needy after a transparent assessment.

“Bayat Foundation helps thousands of families across Afghanistan every year. Fortunately, today this Ramadan aid was distributed to hundreds of families in Jalalabad. This aid includes flour, rice, and cooking oil,” Attaullah Sahil, a representative of Bayat Foundation in Nangarhar, said.

Appreciating Bayat Foundation’s assistance, officials of the Nangarhar Department of Economy called on other charities to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan.

“These families are very deserving families who were selected after conducting a survey in the presence of representatives of the Department of Economy and Bayat Foundation. All families are deserving, and they include widows, the disabled and the poor,” Mohammad Asif Rahmani, a representative of the Nangarhar Department of Economy, said.

Recipients welcomed the Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation, saying that those in need require more help.

Haider, an aid recipient, said: “We are very poor people. There are no job opportunities. Thank you very much to Bayat Foundation for helping us.”

Mohammad Zaman, another aid recipient, said: “During this Ramadan, I was facing difficulties. I could not find sustenance. Bayat Foundation helped us. May God help it.”

Bayat Foundation has helped the needy not only during the holy month of Ramadan, but also during natural disasters, and has continued to cooperate with government institutions in various sectors, especially health and education.

 

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IEA controls power in Afghanistan, security prevails: Araqchi

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Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, has said that the Islamic Emirate controls power in Afghanistan and security prevails across the country.

Speaking in an interview with Khabar Online, Araqchi said that before the Islamic Emirate took over, different parts of Afghanistan would be governed by different groups.

“The reality is that now there is a power in Afghanistan that has consolidated its rule over the past three and a half years, and unlike in the past, when every corner of Afghanistan was in the hands of different people, this is not the case now. Security and rule prevail. We must address the issues and resolve them for our national interests,” Araqchi said.

The Islamic Emirate welcomed the remarks saying that it indicates an understanding of the realities in Afghanistan.

“This actually means a correct understanding of the realities in Afghanistan. It is a fact that there is a single political governance in Afghanistan that has complete control over Afghanistan,” Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said.

Araqchi also added in his interview that there are issues in Afghanistan that are related to Iran’s national interests, so he traveled to Kabul to discuss them with the officials of the Islamic Emirate.

He mentioned water rights, presence of Afghan refugees in Iran and Daesh as issues that need to be discussed between the officials of the two countries.

The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran, like other countries, has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, but despite sanctions, trade is taking place between the two countries in high volumes.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdulsalam Hanafi, said in a meeting with the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to Iran recently that Afghanistan and Iran have long-standing religious, historical, cultural and economic relations, and the embassy officials should make every effort to strengthen them.

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Uzbekistan sends essential food aid to Afghanistan

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Marking the new solar year, 1404, and the holy month of Ramadan, Uzbekistan this week delivered almost 200 tons of food aid to Afghanistan via Balkh province.

This is in line with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s directive that humanitarian aid be sent to Afghanistan, Kun.uz reported.

The essential food items were handed over in Hairatan border town in a ceremony attended by Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev; Surkhandarya governor Ulugbek Kosimov; representatives from relevant ministries; Balkh provincial governor Muhammad Yusuf Vafo; and other officials from both countries.

The aid package consists of flour, wheat, pasta, vegetable oil, sugar, instant meals, red beans, and mung beans.

Additionally, a bilateral meeting was held in Mazar-e-Sharif, where discussions focused on advancing future cooperation. During the talks, special attention was given to the construction of the Imam Bukhari Mausoleum in Afghanistan, a project supported by Uzbekistan.

Afghan officials expressed gratitude to the president and people of Uzbekistan for their assistance, Akipress reported.

At the end of December, Uzbekistan sent humanitarian aid containing food and medicine to Afghanistan, as well as a “health train”.

Uzbek doctors conducted free medical examinations of the population in Balkh province between December 25 and December 30.

 

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