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Links reveal between Haqqanis, Saudi Arabia

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(Last Updated On: October 25, 2022)

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A recent report by WikiLeaks shows that Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Islamabad remained in touch with the Haqqani network and also helped arrange a visit for the militant group’s leader for medical treatment.

The documents, which couldn’t be independently verified, say the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan met in 2012 with Nasiruddin Haqqani, the chief fundraiser for the jihadist group who has been on a United Nations terrorism watch list since 2010.

During the meeting, the venue of which was not given, Nasiruddin conveyed his father’s request for treatment at a Saudi hospital to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the report said.

The 62-year-old Jalaluddin was based in Waziristan at that time and media reports he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease or Lupus related.

The report further noted that the meeting occurred two weeks after the then Afghan President Hamid Karzai met his Pakistani counterpart Asif Zardari and then-Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to ask for their help in arranging a meeting with Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Citing the cables, it said that Gen Kayani had suggested that Karzai meet the Haqqani leadership, however, Karzai responded that he did not have any qualms meeting with the Haqqani leaders, but feared that they would not be willing to see him.

The Saudi embassy in Islamabad wasn’t available to comment, and Afghan officials didn’t immediately respond to the allegations.

Senior U.S. officials said they were reviewing the reports but they had no immediate comment. Earlier this month, Osama Nugali, a Saudi foreign ministry spokesman, said that many of the documents published by WikiLeaks“have been clearly fabricated.”

But he also said that the documents “didn’t give any information other than that formerly announced by the ministry” on international or regional issues.

The Saudi government has, meanwhile, not acknowledged these cables as authentic and asked its citizens to ignore them.

There are, however, no cables among those released so far detailing when Jalaluddin travelled to Saudi Arabia or if he ever undertook the journey.

Pakistan has often been criticised for its links with the Haqqani network. The latest US State Department report titled ‘Country Reports on Terrorism 2014’ also notes that Haqqani network leadership “continued to find safe haven in Pakistan”, but there has been little talk of their other patrons, including Saudi Arabia.

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IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.

According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.

“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.

Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.

According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.

“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.

However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.

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Ten people killed by floods in Helmand

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.

According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.

“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.

It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.

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UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: April 19, 2024)

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.

During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.

Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.

“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.

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