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US restricts visas for IEA members over ‘repression of Afghan women, girls’

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The Biden administration has imposed new visa restrictions on current and former members of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) over its “repression of women and girls”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the visa restriction policy will apply to current and former IEA members, members of non-state security groups and others believed to be responsible or complicit in the government’s repressive policies.

“We continue to press the Taliban (IEA) and others to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms — including the right to education — of all Afghans, including women and girls,” Blinken tweeted.

In a statement issued by the State Department, Blinken said restrictive policies includes “discontinuing and/or restricting access to secondary or higher education for girls and women; preventing women’s full participation in the workforce and their ability to choose their careers; restricting women’s movement, expression, or privacy; as well as engaging in violence and harassment including unjust arrest and detention of women, girls, or their family members for noncompliance with discriminatory policies.

“Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions,” he said.

Blinken said “for more than a year, Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are systemically barred from attending school beyond the sixth grade, with no return date in sight.”

Others added their voice to calls for the IEA to reopen girls’ schools.

Tomas Niklasson, the EU’s special envoy for Afghanistan tweeted Tuesday night that “schools need to re-open, or open, across Afghanistan, offering girls of all ages access to quality education. The teachers, engineers, doctors, architects, civil servants and business leaders of tomorrow, building a more prosperous Afghanistan, together with their brothers.”

UN Chief António Guterres also spoke out and said: “I am extremely concerned by the continued exclusion of girls from school in Afghanistan.

“This is deeply damaging to girls themselves & to a country that desperately needs their energy & contributions.”

Marking Day Of The Girl, he said: “I once again urge the Taliban to let girls learn.”

The Islamic Emirate Afghanistan (IEA), however, rejects the claims of suppressing women and says that the world should engage with the Islamic Emirate instead of putting pressure on them.

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Afghan Interior Ministry announces special security measures for Eid al-Adha

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani said security forces are fully prepared to maintain order and provide protection throughout the festive period.

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As Eid al-Adha approaches, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior has announced the implementation of special security measures across the country to ensure the safety of worshippers and the public during the holiday celebrations.

In a message marking the upcoming Eid, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani said security forces are fully prepared to maintain order and provide protection throughout the festive period.

He said special security plans have been introduced in different provinces to allow citizens to celebrate Eid in a peaceful and secure environment.

Meanwhile, deputy ministry spokesman Bismillah Habib said security personnel will be deployed at grand mosques, highways, parks and other crowded public and recreational areas during the holidays.

According to Habib, the measures are aimed at preventing potential security threats and creating a safe atmosphere for families and worshippers during Eid celebrations.

The ministry also called on young people to refrain from using firecrackers and other explosive materials during the holiday period, warning that such activities can cause injuries and disturb public order.

Officials emphasized that close cooperation between citizens and security forces will play an important role in ensuring a calm and secure Eid al-Adha across Afghanistan.

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Muttaqi, Japanese ambassador discuss bilateral relations and regional developments

Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Masamoto reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing cooperation and assistance to Afghanistan in different fields.

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Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with Kenichi Masamoto to discuss regional developments and ways to strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Japan.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides exchanged views on ongoing regional developments as well as the importance of expanding bilateral ties between Kabul and Tokyo.

Muttaqi said Japan holds an important place in Afghanistan’s foreign policy and praised Tokyo’s continued humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people in various sectors.

He also commended Japan for what he described as its understanding of Afghanistan’s current realities, positive approach, and continued support for the country.

Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Masamoto reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing cooperation and assistance to Afghanistan in different fields.

At the end of the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of further expanding bilateral relations, strengthening coordination and mutual engagement in humanitarian sectors, and holding technical meetings to advance cooperation.

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Achakzai says militancy in Pakistan stems from Afghanistan war policies

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Mehmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, has sharply criticized Pakistan’s past security and foreign policies, saying the country’s ongoing insecurity and instability are rooted in decisions made during the Afghanistan war.

Achakzai said militancy did not emerge “without reason or out of madness,” arguing that policies pursued during the Afghan conflict created conditions that fueled extremism in the region.

He claimed that during the war in Afghanistan, fighters from various parts of the world gathered and trained in Pakistan, adding that those policies later contributed to the rise of major militant networks.

“The result of this policy was that major so-called terrorists were later found here,” he said.

Achakzai also criticized what he described as a lack of accountability over major national crises and security failures, questioning why key incidents were never fully investigated.

Referring to the 2011 Abbottabad raid, in which U.S. special forces killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, he described the operation as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

“Foreign forces took guests from our home while we remained helpless. Nations should not be treated this way,” Achakzai said.

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