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Magnitude 5.8 earthquake shakes Afghanistan, region
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck the Hindu Kush region in northern Afghanistan on Thursday, causing strong shaking in parts of the country, including the capital, Kabul, Reuters quoted officials and witnesses said.
The quake struck at a depth of 189 km (117 miles), according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. Strong shaking was felt in Islamabad, parts of northwestern Pakistan and as far away as New Delhi, Reuters witnesses in each location said.
Close to the epicentre in the northern province of Badakhshan the tremors were “very strong” and authorities were verifying whether they had caused any damage or casualties, provincial official Mahzudden Ahmadi told Reuters.
“It was too strong. In the beginning we did not leave, but later when it got strong, we left (the room). It lasted about 30-40 seconds,” Ashraf Nael, 28, from Faizabad city in Badakhshan said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, however.
Last year, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake wreaked havoc in eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 1,000 people, read the report.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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