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Too Early to Judge Panipat: Afghan Film
Officials in the Afghan Film, a state-owned institution, said Wednesday that it is too early to have a judgement about Panipat.
Panipat is an upcoming 2019 Indian historical film that portrays the “Third Battle of Panipat” fought between Indian Army and forces of King Ahmad Shah Abdali, who is regarded as founder of modern state of Afghanistan.
Renowned Indian actor Sanjay Dutt plays the role of King Abdali.
The film, which is directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, is scheduled to release on 6 December 2019.
The film’s official trailer was made available on 5 November 2019.
Following the release of the trailer, Afghans widely expressed their concerns about how the film may portray King Abdali; especially if whether the film adheres to historical facts or wanders into fiction.
“Historically, the Indian cinema has been extremely instrumental in strengthening the Indo-Afghan ties – I very much hope that the film “Panipat” has kept that fact in mind while dealing with this important episode of our shared history!” Shaida Abdali, the former Afghan Ambassador to India wrote on Twitter.
Afghan filmmakers believe that the film might have portrayed the heroism of Indian historical characters rather than an Afghan invader.
“Afghanistan national identity, history and historical facts are the most important matters in this film. I think the Ministry of Information and Culture will propose the ban of this film in the country,” said Engineer Latif Ahmadi, an Afghan film director.
Roya Sadat, another Afghan film producer and director said Indian directors are working based on rules in India, but they are expected to have paid attention to the sensitivities of Afghan society.
“You can’t censor a foreign film producer to produce what we want. I think we should have our own substitutes to compete with the [Panipat] film,” Ms. Roya added.
“We can’t tell a foreign country, a company, an Indian production, a film director or producer how they should portray their history,” said Sahraa Karimi, the director of Afghan Film.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, has urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete action against militant threats that Islamabad says originate from Afghan soil.
Speaking at an event at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul marking the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, Nizamani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining “brotherly ties” with Afghanistan.
The ambassador also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad’s initiatives reflected its commitment to regional and global peace.
During the ceremony, Nizamani reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to defend itself against any aggression.
“Pakistan’s desire for peace must never be mistaken for weakness,” the ambassador said, calling for heightened vigilance against regional threats.
Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that militants use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied this claim and said that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s security failures.
Japan announces MEXT scholarships for Afghan students for 2027 academic year
New township to provide over 1,000 land plots for returnees in Logar
Ariana Afghan Airlines lowers cargo rates on Kabul–Delhi route to boost exports
Pakistan ambassador urges Afghan authorities to act against militant threats
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New Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
Afghanistan’s new cricket head coach Richard Pybus arrives in Kabul
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Germany to launch online visa system for Afghan study and work applicants in Pakistan
Tahawol: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan’s growing economic ties discussed
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