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U.S. advice to banks: OK to transfer aid money to Afghanistan

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International banks can transfer money to Afghanistan for humanitarian purposes, and aid groups are allowed to pay teachers and healthcare workers at state-run institutions without fear of breaching sanctions on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the United States said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Treasury Department offered guidance on sanctions exemptions issued in September and December for humanitarian work in Afghanistan, where the United Nations says more than half the country's 39 million people suffer extreme hunger and the economy, education and social services are facing collapse.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week warned Afghanistan was "hanging by a thread."

The IEA, seized power from Afghanistan's internationally backed government in August. Billions of dollars in Afghan central bank reserves and international development aid were frozen to prevent it from falling into IEA hands.

International banks have been wary of Afghanistan and the United Nations and aid groups are struggling to get enough money into the country to fund operations.

The U.S. Treasury said banks can process transactions related to humanitarian operations "including clearing, settlement, and transfers through, to, or otherwise involving privately owned and state-owned Afghan depository institutions."

It also outlined permitted transactions involving the IEA, which includes Haqqani Network. These include signing agreements to provide aid directly to the Afghan people, general aid coordination, including import administration, and sharing of office space.

"Payments of taxes, fees, or import duties to, or the purchase or receipt of permits, licenses, or public utility services from" the IEA, Haqqani Network or any entity in which they own more than 50% is authorized for humanitarian operations, the Treasury said.

It also said aid groups are allowed to ship cash to Afghanistan for humanitarian operations and can make direct payments to healthcare workers and teachers in public hospitals and schools.

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Pakistan’s ex-PM Khan says terrorism cannot be eliminated without dialogue with Afghanistan

He said that a large number of policemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been killed in the fight against terrorism and if terrorism is not controlled, the economy will come to a standstill.

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Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, said on Friday that terrorism cannot be eliminated without having dialogue with the authorities in Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Khan expressed his support for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapour's proposal for a direct dialogue with Kabul.

“Ali Amin is absolutely right,” Imran Khan stated. “They should be beseeching him to go and talk to Afghanistan for the sake of God."

A day earlier, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif criticized Gandapur's plan to talk to Kabul, saying it was a direct attack on the federal government.

When questioned about the possibility of a province directly engaging with another country when a federal government and the Foreign Office were already in place, Imran Khan replied: "Forget the Foreign Office, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the most affected by terrorism.”

He said that a large number of policemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been killed in the fight against terrorism and if terrorism is not controlled, the economy will come to a standstill.

Khan urged the government to lend a hand to anyone attempting to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

"If someone is trying to end terrorism, cooperate with them," he stated, dismissing the perception that Gandapur’s intentions were anti-state. "Ali Amin is speaking in the favour of the country, not against it."

Clarifying Gandapur’s stance, he pointed out, "Ali Amin spoke about going but didn’t say he was leaving immediately, — he didn’t even fix a time." Khan concluded his talk by saying, "What wrong has Ali Amin said?"

Gandapur announced on Wednesday that he would send a delegation to Afghanistan to resolve bilateral issues.

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Pakistan removes special envoy over clash on Afghan policy

He believed Pakistan needed to manage its terrorism problem domestically.

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Pakistan's Special Representative on Afgha­nistan, Asif Durrani, has been removed from his position due to differences over Afgha­nistan policy, local newspaper Dawn reported.

Durrani was relieved of his duties last Tuesday.

Durrani was appointed in May 2023 with the expectation that he would resolve the stalemate in Islamabad-Kabul relations, particularly regarding TTP. Despite initiatives and goodwill gestures, the deadlock persisted.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have turned sour due to attacks in Pakistan. Pakistani officials claim that the attacks are organized in Afghanistan, but the Islamic Emirate denies the claims, saying that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan's "security failure".

Though Durrani advocated for a ‘one document’ regime for Afghan visitors, he opposed mass deportations of undocumented Afghans, arguing it would reflect badly on Pakistan’s border controls and harden the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) stance. He suggested a low-key approach to addressing the issue of illegal Afghans.

He believed Pakistan needed to manage its terrorism problem domestically.

His predecessor, Moham­­mad Sadiq, had also resigned from the position.

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Construction of largest terminal in Herat kicks off

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The Ministry of Transport and Aviation says the construction of the country's largest terminal has begun in Herat province. The terminal worth more than $20 million is being built by the private sector and the government.

In the opening ceremony of this terminal, the local officials of Herat called on traders and investors to invest in the country for economic growth and job opportunities.

This terminal will be built in a large set with all the required parts.

It will be built on 1,000 acres of land near Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport, employing 4,000 people.

“This national project will be built on nearly one acre of state land. About 1.8 billion afghanis have been invested in this project,” said Hamidullah Akhundzada, acting minister of Transport and Aviation.

Construction of the terminal costs 20,500,000 US dollars, 70 percent of which is paid by the private sector and 30 percent by the Islamic Emirate.

“This project is one of the most crucial projects for Herat province, especially the western zone,” said Habibullah Samadi, project manager of the terminal.

Noor Ahmad Islam Jar, the governor of Herat, also assured about the availability of investment opportunities in this province and asked investors and businessmen to invest in Afghanistan to improve the economic situation and provide work opportunities.

The passenger terminal of Herat is now located in the north of the city, where the movement of large passenger cars from the central roads of Herat city has always caused disorder and traffic accidents.

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