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Pakistan invites Karzai to attend ‘special’ Afghan conference
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Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said Pakistan is continuing its efforts to achieve stability and security in Afghanistan.
In a tweet, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan had a telephonic conversation with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and invited him to attend a “special” conference on Afghanistan situation the country would organise soon.
Geo News reported that the information minister said that key Afghan leaders, including Hamid Karzai, have been invited to attend the proposed conference.
The recent development will give rise to new hopes for a solution to Afghanistan’s problems, he added.
According to a report in The News, the proposed conference will take place from July 17 to 19 and several Afghan leaders have already confirmed their participation.
Afghan special presidential envoy for Pakistan Mohammed Umer Daudzai and former finance minister Omar Zakhilwal have both confirmed to VOA they will attend the meeting. However, Daudzai, said the meeting “dates are still being debated.”
Hamid Karzai, a former Afghan president, Salahuddin Rabbani, a former foreign minister, Omar Zakhilwal, a former finance minister, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, a senior leader of ethnic Hazara minority community, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former warlord-turned politician, and Ahmad Wali Masoud, are among the invitees, the sources said.
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Ethnic and religious diversity are symbols of national unity, says Baradar
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Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) believes in ethnic and religious diversity and considers it a symbol of national unity in the country.
Addressing Shia Muslims at a large gathering aimed at strengthening national unity and supporting the Islamic Emirate system at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabul, Baradar said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan respects ethnic diversity and regards it as a symbol of national unity.”
Baradar also urged citizens not to believe the rumors and propaganda spread by enemies and to remain united in preserving peace and stability in the country.
“Do not believe the propaganda and misinformation spread by the enemies of the system. They seek to create division among ethnic groups and religions and misuse such situations. We must maintain our unity and solidarity in the right manner,” said Baradar.
Meanwhile, several other officials of the IEA dismissed rumors suggesting that a major upheaval is imminent in the country this year and that the IEA may collapse. They emphasized that on the contrary, this year will be a year of unity among the people, and the Islamic system will remain intact.
Shahabuddin Delawar, the acting head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) said: “We declare that this year is the year of unity for Afghans, this year is the year of reconstruction for Afghans, this year is the year of progress for Afghans.”
Some participants at the gathering, while emphasizing their support for the ruling system, added that the people are tired of war and do not want the security and stability achieved so far to be disrupted again.
Some participants also stated that recent meetings held outside Afghanistan are not in the interest of the people or the country, emphasizing that the people will not support plans devised abroad.
It must be noted that hundreds of Shia scholars, elders, and youth from the capital and various provinces of the country participated in this gathering.
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Acting Minister of Economy meets with Head of European International Partnership Agency
In the meeting, the Acting Minister of Economy voiced appreciation for the continuation of humanitarian assistance from the European Partnership for Afghanistan.
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The Acting Minister of Economy, Din Mohammad Hanif, met with Peteris Ustubs, Head of European Partnership agency to discuss improving economic cooperation, program coordination, and continuing humanitarian and development assistance.
In the meeting, the Acting Minister of Economy voiced appreciation for the continuation of humanitarian assistance from the European Partnership for Afghanistan.
The two sides discussed further coordination in arranging programs and plans of the European Partnership for Afghanistan, in accordance with the economic needs of the people and the country’s economic priorities in different sectors.
Hanif emphasized the current economic situation, important economic achievements, development and economic priorities and programs in order to create job opportunities, reduce poverty, and achieve sustainable economic growth.
He also called for the unfreezing of the country’s foreign capital, the lifting of financial and banking sanctions, and the focus of the international community on cooperation in implementing development projects vital for Afghanistan’s economic development.
On the other hand, Peteris Ustubs, while emphasizing the continuation of humanitarian assistance to people in need and areas vulnerable to climate change, assured the Acting Minister of Economy of the commitment of the agency to cooperate in implementing support and development programs in the health services sector, treating addicts, strengthening the agricultural sector, combating drug cultivation, supporting the private sector and small businesses, launching small energy production projects, and launching vocational training programs in the center and provinces in order to create job opportunities and improve the household economy.
The Head of the European International Partnership Agency and his accompanying delegation also assured that they will present the opinions, suggestions, and objective facts presented by the Ministry of Economy at the upcoming meeting that is scheduled to be held in June of this year with the participation of EU member states and international institutions on the continuation of humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan.
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Trump wants all military generals involved in Afghanistan withdrawal fired
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Addressing a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said “every single one” of the military generals involved in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan should be fired.
Seated next to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump has been questioned about whether his administration would fire or relieve from duty the military officers involved in the August 2021 withdrawal.
“I’m not going to tell this man what to do, but I will say that if I had his place I’d fire every single one of them,” Trump said, gesturing to Hegseth.
Hegseth replied that the Pentagon is “doing a complete review of every single aspect of what happened” with the deadly and chaotic August 2021 withdrawal and intends to deliver “full accountability.”
Trump also repeated his call on the Islamic Emirate to return the U.S. military equipment left behind.
“I think they should give our equipment back. And I told Pete to study that. But we left billions, tens of billions of dollars worth of equipment behind. Brand new trucks. You see them display it every year, on their little roadways,” he said.
He claimed the IEA was selling the military weapons and gear, making Afghanistan “one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world.”
“They’re selling 777,000 rifles, 70,000 armor plated . . . trucks and vehicles,” he said. “I think we should get it back.”
He also asserted the U.S. should have kept control of Bagram Air Base, once the largest American military base in Afghanistan.
Trump claimed that China’s People’s Liberation Army has since taken control of the former U.S. base, which China has repeatedly denied.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Bagram Airfield is in China’s hands, but the Islamic Emirate has also denied the claim.
The Islamic Emirate has said that the leftover US equipment in Afghanistan belongs to Afghans and will not be returned.
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