The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) on Tuesday signed a major power supply project worth over 1.8 billion afghanis with domestic firm State Corps to provide electricity to Qush Tepa and Darzab districts in northern Jawzjan province.

 The contract signing ceremony, held at the Government Information and Media Centre, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and senior government officials.

Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Rahmani, Director General of Renewable Energy at MoEW, said the $28.4 million project (equivalent to 1.886 billion afghanis) aims to ensure nearly all households in Qush Tepa and Darzab have access to electricity.

He explained that the project involves constructing an 85.4-kilometre transmission line from Shiberghan, the provincial capital, building substations, and establishing electricity distribution networks in both districts.

Alauddin Salim, representing State Corps, described the initiative as “crucial” and said it is expected to be completed within three years. He highlighted that domestic firms, like State Corps, are more committed than foreign companies to project delivery.

According to MoEW, the project will be funded through revenues from Afghanistan’s mines and will provide electricity to around 47,000 families. The ministry urged the company to ensure timely completion with high quality standards.

Prominent Pakistani religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani has strongly criticised moves to grant lifetime immunity to Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, describing such protection from judicial accountability as contrary to Islamic principles.

Speaking at a public gathering on Monday, Mufti Usmani said that Islam does not place any individual above the law, stressing that rulers, military leaders and ordinary citizens are equally accountable for their actions. He emphasised that justice and accountability form the foundation of an Islamic system, and that permanent immunity for powerful figures violates the spirit of Sharia.

The cleric warned that creating legal distinctions between state officials and the general public undermines public trust and fosters injustice within society. He urged state institutions to adhere to Islamic values when making political and military decisions, particularly those affecting governance and accountability.

Mufti Usmani’s remarks come amid growing debate in Pakistan over the role of the military in state affairs and the expanding authority granted to senior army officials. The issue has drawn heightened public and political attention in recent weeks, with critics arguing that excessive protections weaken democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Senior Pakistani religious leader and politician Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman has condemned attacks on Afghanistan carried out under the pretext of targeting militant groups, calling such actions unjustifiable and counterproductive.

He urged both Kabul and Islamabad to resolve their disputes through dialogue and political engagement rather than military means.

Speaking at a gathering of Pakistani religious scholars titled “Pakistani Ummah Unity,” Fazal Ur Rehman, who heads the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party, criticized Pakistan’s security approach toward Afghanistan.

Addressing Pakistan’s military leadership, he questioned the rationale behind cross-border actions, asking why attacks are justified against Afghanistan when similar logic is rejected in response to Indian strikes inside Pakistan.

“If you justify attacks on Kabul by claiming your enemies are present there, then why is your response different when India targets its enemies inside Pakistan?” he said.

Fazal Ur Rehman warned that continued tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan serve the interests of neither country and risk further destabilizing the region.

He stressed that dialogue, mutual respect, and political understanding remain the only sustainable solutions to long-standing disputes between the two neighbors.