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Gov’t under Criticism for Handing Over Security of Hotel to Private Firm
The decision to handover the security responsibility of Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel to a private company has sparked strong criticism, following Taliban’s deadly attack on the hotel.
The Interior Ministry said on Monday that handing over the security responsibility of Intercontinental Hotel to Kabul Balkh Safety and Security Company (KBSS) was based on the decision of the hotel’s shareholders, more than three weeks before the attack.
“We have given the responsibility of the hotel to a private firm 21 days ago, and shareholders of the hotel were aware of the contract signed with the company,” said Najib Danish, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry.
There was some reports that an official at the Chief Executive Office was involved with the security firm. The office, however, rejected the report, saying that the KBSS should be investigated and face legal action in case of negligence in its responsibilities.
Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi, meanwhile said that the private firm assumed the responsibility of the hotel after the agreement of owners of the hotel, adding that the contract was offered for KBSS from three other volunteer firms.
Eyewitnesses who have survived the attack said that Taliban assailants raided on the hotel, only limited numbers of company’s personnel were at the hotel and hours before the incident, security equipment including baggage scanners of the hotel were disabled.
The Interior Minister, Wais Ahmad Barmak said that infiltrators have cooperated with the Taliban assailants during the attack on the hotel.
Related article: Minister Barmak Says Intruder Was Involved in Kabul Hotel Attack
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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.
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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.
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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.
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