Latest News
HPC Announces Preparation for Legitimate Reconciliation with Taliban
The High Peace Council (HPC) has announced readiness for any legitimate agreement and reconciliation with the Taliban group.
HPC held a consultation meeting with a number of religious scholars from across the county to find practical ways to achieve lasting peace and end the war.
“Now, practical and promising measures are underway for starting an official talk with the armed opposition groups,” said Karim Khalili, chairman of HPC.
The HPC senior officials stressed that the council is ready for bargaining on any issue with the armed Taliban group.
“We are ready for any kind of agreement. Opening an office or the withdrawal of foreign troops are the issues that can be discussed. They can share any of their demands that we can find a solution,” said Akram Khaplwak, HPC head of secretariat.
However, a former member of Taliban group, Abdul Salam Zaeef said the High Peace Council is not an independent institution and called for a specific address for talks with Taliban.
“We cannot call HPC a neutral council, but it is a good address for peace,” Zaeef added.
This comes as the very fact that the representatives of the Afghan Foreign Ministry participate the quadrilateral peace meetings between the Afghanistan, Pakistan, U.S. and China, on one hand shows that the Afghan government does not trust the council and on the other hand it explains the council’s role in the Afghan peace process.
On the other hand, no remarkable change has occurred in the structure of the HPC and still it seems that the positions in this council is being offered as political bribe.
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 News4 days ago
Chinese keen to invest in Panjshir-Kabul water conduit project
-
Latest News2 days ago
Rashid Khan named AWCC’s brand ambassador
-
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