Latest News
US, Taliban set to sign peace agreement today
The US and the Taliban are set to sign a deal in Doha, the capital of Qatar today which could pave the path for ending the long-term conflict in the war-weary country.
Sources close to the Taliban told Ariana News that all preparations have been taken for the deal and it would be signed by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and the Taliban’s Deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
This comes as the Afghan government sent a 6-member delegation for the primary talks with the Taliban.
The countdown for signing the US-Taliban peace agreement has already begun, and on Saturday, the US Secretary of Defense Mike Esper and the NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg are expected to visit Kabul and reiterate their commitment to Afghanistan.
The presidential palace said that the two officials will make a joint statement with President Ghani and will reaffirm NATO and the US’s commitments to Afghanistan.
Latif Mahmood, the Presidential deputy spokesperson, said, “The US Secretary of Defense and the NATO SG are supposed to visit Kabul, Saturday, and will make a joint press release.”
This comes as the Afghan government sent a 6-member delegation to Qatar for primary talks with the Taliban who are supposed to negotiate how the prisoners should be released.
The Afghan delegation is comprised of:
Salem Shah Ibrahimi, the NSC deputy, Zakia Adeli, the deputy of Ministry of Justice, Abdul Khaliq Balakarzai, the deputy of State Ministry of Peace, Faizullah Zaki, the Afghan ambassador to Indonesia, Mawlawi Muzzafari, the deputy of the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, Totakhail, head of the prisons,
Sami Yousufzai, a freelance journalist in Qatar, said, “The Taliban are supposed to negotiate on how to release the prisoners even though the Taliban said that the delegation had not been invited.”
The US-Taliban agreement is scheduled to be signed in one of the most luxurious hotels in Doha, in the presence of 30 countries’ representatives and the United Nation.
Shah Mahmoud Quraishi, the Pakistan Foreign Minister said, “Tomorrow is a big day for Afghanistan. It is a great opportunity. Afghanistan is moving towards peace and reconciliation.” He also said that an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue would start. “I wish Afghanistan peace and stability,” he added.
Although no significant detail has been unleashed from the peace agreement, some sources say that following the signing of the agreement, some five thousand prisoners of the Taliban and one thousand prisoners of the Afghan government will be released – the next step will be preparing for the inter-Afghan dialogue.
Latest News
Girls’ education is a ‘vital issue’ for Afghanistan: Karzai
Former president Hamid Karzai said in a meeting with Iran’s ambassador and special representative, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, that education of girls was a “vital issue” for Afghanistan.
Karzai said he appreciated Iran’s cooperation and its standing with the Afghan people, especially Iran’s contributions to education in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Karzai said peace and stability in the region are in the interest of all regional countries.
Latest News
Uzbekistan’s humanitarian aid arrives in Balkh
A shipment of humanitarian aid from Uzbekistan was handed over on Thursday to the local officials of Balkh province in the trade port of Hairatan.
Local authorities said the aid, which includes flour, oil, wheat, sugar and meat, has been handed over by Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya governor to the governor of Balkh.
The governor of Surkhandarya stated the purpose of sending this aid was to support the people of Afghanistan and stressed the need for the development of good relations between the two countries.
Latest News
Afghanistan’s problems caused more damage to Pakistan than 3 wars with India: Durrani
Islamabad’s special envoy for Afghanistan Asif Durrani said on Wednesday that Pakistan has suffered more due to Afghanistan’s internal situation than Pakistan has suffered in three wars with India in terms of blood spilt and finances drained.
Durrani said at a one-day International Conference titled “Pakistan in the Emerging Geopolitical Landscape”, which was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), that over 80,000 Pakistanis died in the two decades of the War on Terror and that his country was still counting its dead and injured.
“After the withdrawal of NATO forces, it was hoped that peace in Afghanistan would bring peace to the region. However, such expectations were short-lived,” he said.
He also stated that attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group on Pakistan’s border areas increased by 65 percent, while suicide attacks increased by 500 percent.
“The TTP’s enhanced attacks on Pakistan while using Afghan soil have been a serious concern for Pakistan. Another worrying aspect is the participation of Afghan nationals in these attacks,” he said.
Durrani also said Pakistan had suffered geopolitically since the Soviet Union invaded the neighboring country.
“The post-9/11 world order has negatively impacted Pakistan. Apart from losing 80,000 citizens’ lives, including 8,000 law enforcement agency personnel, the country’s economic opportunity cost is estimated at $150 billion,” Durrani said.
Talking about the future outlook for Pakistan in the regional context, Durrani said that while “our eastern neighbor is likely to continue with its anti-Pakistan pursuits, the western border poses an avoidable irritant in the short to medium term.”
However, he said Pakistan can overcome its difficulties with Afghanistan, including the TTP challenge.
-
Latest News4 days ago
Pakistan’s frontiers minister stresses ‘dignified’ return of Afghan refugees
-
Regional3 days ago
Iranian president lands in Pakistan for three-day visit to mend ties
-
Climate Change4 days ago
Massive river flooding expected in China, threatening millions
-
Latest News2 days ago
Rashid Khan named AWCC’s brand ambassador
-
Latest News5 days ago
Chinese keen to invest in Panjshir-Kabul water conduit project
-
World4 days ago
Two Japan navy helicopters crash, one body found, 7 missing
-
Sport3 days ago
Kolkata beat Bengaluru by one run in IPL as Kohli fumes at dismissal
-
Sport3 days ago
ACL: Aino Mina 3-0 Istiqlal Kabul; Attack Energy 3-0 Khadim