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Loya Jirga on fate of Taliban prisoners to convene Friday in Kabul

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Last Updated on: October 25, 2022

The Afghan government will convene a Consultative Loya Jirga on Friday in Kabul to decide the fate of the remaining 400 Taliban prisoners who are on the group’s list.

For this Jirga, the Presidential Palace is yet to release details but officials have said the expected participants would be the same as those who participated in the last Peace Jirga along with members of the High Council for National Reconciliation.

“Loya Jirga will be held on August 7th. It is in continuation of the Consultative Jirga for Peace. Members are the same from the previous Jirga which will be divided into different categories such as civil society, media, and people’s council … the commission that is tasked for convening the Jirga will provide further details by tomorrow,” said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Presidential Palace.

A Loya Jirga is a mass national gathering that brings together representatives from the various ethnic, religious, and tribal communities in Afghanistan.

The Jirga, or “grand council” is a centuries-old tradition that is convened at times of a national crisis or to settle a national issue.

Historically, it has been used to approve a new constitution, declare war, choose a new king, or to make sweeping social or political reforms.

A question that’s been raised however is why did the government not convene a Loya Jirga on the release of the other 4,600 Taliban prisoners – who have already been freed.

Some lawyers believe however that this latest move, to hold a Loya Jirga, is purely symbolic and holds no legal authority.

Nasrullah Stanikzai, a law expert, said: “No one is authorized to forgive the Taliban prisoner. The Loya Jirga doesn’t have legal status. Its decisions don’t have a legal base. How can they resolve a legal issue? Political pressure has made the government release 4,500 Taliban prisoners. This Jirga, which is scheduled on Friday, is a symbolic and political move.”

In addition to this, the government has called for the Jirga – which will bring together scores of people – amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In April last year, a peace Jirga brought together more than 3,200 delegates.

The Ministry of Public Health does not, however, see this as an issue and feels participants should simply adhere to precautionary measures and health guidelines.

“Undoubtedly, we will consider all precautionary measures, and based on the health directives, it will not be a problem to hold a Loya Jirga,” said Mohammad Jawad Osmani, the Acting Health Minister.

Meanwhile, the Second Vice President, Sarwar Danesh, has told the US Deputy Ambassador to Kabul that holding the Jirga on the fate of the 400 controversial Taliban prisoners is a positive move toward intra-Afghan talks.

So far, the release of the 5,000 Taliban prisoners, as per the Doha agreement between the US and the Taliban, has been a stumbling block in the way of talks.

However, over 4,500 prisoners have already been released but 400 are still behind bars.

Some Afghan government officials and Western allies have in the past few weeks raised concerns over at least 200 of these prisoners. Many of them are said to have been the masterminds behind serious attacks over the past few years.

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Norwegian delegation to visit Afghanistan

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Per Albert Ilsaas, the Charge d’Affaires of Norwegian embassy for Afghanistan, has announced that a delegation from Norway will soon travel to Kabul to assess bilateral relations with authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the diplomat in a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, shared Norway’s perspective on recent regional developments and expressed concern about their potential impact on Afghanistan.

Muttaqi also voiced concern over the current regional situation and emphasized that the Afghan government is ready to help the people of Iran based on Islamic and humanitarian principles.

He described Norway’s acceptance of a diplomat from the Islamic Emirate as a positive step toward building trust and improving relations. He also praised Norway’s constructive role in facilitating engagement between Afghanistan and Western countries.

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Pakistan seeks partnership with US over terror threats in Afghanistan: Khalilzad

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Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, is offering U.S. officials a renewed partnership to help manage terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, former US special envoy for Afghan peace, said on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Munir at the White House on Wednesday, in an unprecedented meeting that risked worsening a disagreement with India over the president’s claim that he stopped the recent war between the nuclear-armed South Asian foes.

Khalilzad in a post on X highlighted Munir’s possible agenda.

One was to get Trump “subcontract the protection of US interests in Afghanistan, including on terror, to the Pakistani military.”

However, he asserted that that Pakistani military cannot be trusted as it has long played a double game with the United States.

“President Trump knows that the Pakistani military has long played a double game with us. During the years of our military presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan took our assistance and at the same time provided support and sanctuary to those who were killing our forces. Similarly, during the war on terror after 9/11, the Pakistani military selectively helped both us and the al-Qaida terrorists. Where did we find Bin Laden? All cozy in Pakistan near one of Pakistan’s military facilities. And Pakistan still holds Dr. Afridi who helped us find and eliminate Bin Laden,” Khalilzad said.

“Bottom line: Gen Asim Munir can not be trusted,” he added.

 

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Afghan delegation led by agriculture minister attends key economic forum in Russia

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A senior Afghan delegation headed by Acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Ataullah Omari is participating in the 2025 Economic Conference and Exhibition in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The high-level delegation includes officials from the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, and Industry and Commerce, alongside representatives of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and several Afghan business leaders.

Among key members are Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce; Abdul Latif Nazari, Technical Deputy Minister of Economy; and Mohammad Younus Mohmand, Deputy Head of the Chamber of Commerce.

The conference, running from June 18 to 21, is one of the world’s largest economic forums, bringing together participants from over 140 countries to discuss global challenges in economy, agriculture, trade, investment, and sustainable development.

Omari is scheduled to present the Islamic Emirate’s economic and agricultural vision to international delegates.

The Ministry of Agriculture described Afghanistan’s involvement as a key opportunity to bolster trade ties, attract foreign investment, and enhance cooperation in vital sectors.

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