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MFA Afghanistan denies Pakistan’s claim that India supports Pakistani Taliban
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied Pakistan’s claim that India is cooperating with the Pakistani Taliban on the Afghan soil.
After India said Pakistan was a safe haven for terrorist groups in the region; Pakistan now claims that India supports the Pakistani Taliban on Afghan soil and is using them against Pakistan.
Moreover, Pakistan believes that India obscures the situation in Afghanistan.
Ayesha Farooqi, the spokeswoman for Pakistani Foreign Ministry said that India wants to divert the world’s attention from its support for the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan adding that In fact, India is trying to muddy the Afghan peace process.
In the meantime, Kabul has reacted strictly to Pakistan’s remarks. In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry denied Pakistan’s claim that India supported the Pakistani Taliban and its activities against Pakistan, assuring that Afghan territory would never be used against any country.
“No group is allowed to use Afghan territory against another nation. We urge countries in the region to cooperate in the Afghan peace process and play a constructive role,” the statement said, “lasting peace in Afghanistan means that terrorist groups cannot pose a threat to the region.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, supports India’s policy toward Afghanistan, saying that New Delhi has played a key role in the recent peace efforts between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
“I believe that New Delhi’s policy of avoiding any engagement with the Taliban has had its day, especially in view of the upcoming launch of intra-Afghan talks and eventual transformation of the Taliban movement into an influential legal political force in Afghanistan,” said Kabulov.
However, after the signing of the peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban, there are signs of the emergence of other militant groups.
The Afghan government says the anti-government militants have direct Pakistani support; while Pakistan claims to have played a key role in the peace efforts.
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UNDP, UN Women launch financing initiative for Afghan women entrepreneurs
UN Women Special Representative Susan Ferguson said expanding women’s access to finance was critical to enabling women-led businesses to grow.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women have launched a joint initiative to expand access to finance and business support for Afghan women entrepreneurs.
The Afghanistan Women’s Fund for Resilient Enterprises (AWFRE) will provide Sharia-compliant, collateral-free financing alongside financial and digital literacy training, mentoring, business planning and support to access markets.
An initial joint investment of $1.7 million will support about 1,500 women entrepreneurs over the next year, indirectly benefiting more than 14,000 people through stronger businesses, household incomes and economic activity.
The initiative comes amid a significant financing gap for Afghan women entrepreneurs. Fewer than 7% of women in Afghanistan have a bank account or use mobile money services, leaving many women-led businesses dependent on personal savings, loans from family and friends, or the sale of personal assets.
More Afghan women are turning to entrepreneurship to earn income and support their families. More than 10,000 Afghan women now hold business licences, around ten times the number five years ago, while the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce estimates another 120,000 are trading without licences.
“The challenge for Afghan women entrepreneurs is not a lack of enterprise, but limited access to the finance, skills and networks they need to grow,” said Turhan Saleh, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan.
UN Women Special Representative Susan Ferguson said expanding women’s access to finance was critical to enabling women-led businesses to grow.
“Afghan women are finding ways to build businesses, despite the many obstacles they face,” Ferguson said. “Expanding access to finance can help women entrepreneurs turn their ideas and skills into stronger businesses, more jobs and greater economic security for their families and communities.”
UNDP and UN Women are seeking an additional $10 million to expand the programme, which would allow another 10,000 women entrepreneurs to access financing and business support and indirectly benefit an estimated 70,000 people.
The initiative aims to help women entrepreneurs expand their businesses, access new markets and develop more sustainable sources of income.
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.
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