Kakar Claims Foreign Troops’ Weapons in Afghanistan Sold in Black Markets

January 20, 2024
TOLOnews
TV Network
19 Jan 2024

Earlier, Kakar claimed that the weapons left from the foreign troops in Afghanistan are being used by the Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

The Prime Minister of the Pakistani caretaker government, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, said that the weapons left from the foreign troops in Afghanistan are being sold in the black markets.

Speaking at a panel of the World Economic Forum, Kakar said the westerners left for their own priorities and that “Afghanistan was an abandoned project for them.”

“But for us, it had real time tangible implication, particularly the gadgets which were given to the republic army and which unfortunately were sold into the black market, have been transferred to all these non-state actors,” he said.

The Islamic Emirate didn’t comment regarding the allegations but earlier stated that the military equipment left from the foreign troops are being kept in caches in the country.

The political analysts gave various opinions in this regard.

“The weapons left by the US has even reached Kashmir. We should admit that the majority of weapons of Afghanistan has been sold out,” said Wahid Faqiri, political analyst.

Earlier, Kakar claimed that the weapons left from the foreign troops in Afghanistan are being used by the Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Kakar Claims Foreign Troops’ Weapons in Afghanistan Sold in Black Markets
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10.5 Billion Afs Paid to Orphans, Widows and Disabled People: MMD

January 20, 2024
TOLOnews
TV Network
19 Jan 2024

The ministry spokesman, Faisal Khamosh, said that 620,000 widows and disabled people are registered at the ministry. 

The Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled Affairs (MMD) announced the payment of 10.5 billion Afghanis to orphans and the disabled in 1402 (current solar year).

The ministry spokesman, Faisal Khamosh, said that 620,000 widows and disabled people are registered at the ministry.

Khamosh told TOLOnews: “In the current financial year of 1402, 10.5 billion Afghanis have been paid through the banking system to orphans, widow women and disabled people. Till now, the ministry paid the monthly assistance for 75% of the mentioned people.”

Meanwhile, a number of disabled people who are registered with the ministry, complain about not being paid what they are due.

Sumaya, 14, who is registered with the ministry, said that it has been two months since she did not receive her payment. Sumaya’s father, who suffers from heart disease, said that currently they are faced with economic challenges.

Farhad, Sumaya’s father, told TOLOnews: “For the first 6 months they paid the payments for my daughter and they told us that each month you can get 2,000 Afghanis which they did not pay for two months which is 4,000.”

“Our demand of the government is to pay attention to elders because we cannot work. I have two children who are going to school and they cannot work,” said Ghulami Haidar.

“We want the government to pay our payments. We have children and we are responsible for our families and we have to provide for their expenses,” a Kabul resident said.

The MMD added that so far 75% of orphans, widows and disabled people who are registered with the ministry have received monthly assistance.

10.5 Billion Afs Paid to Orphans, Widows and Disabled People: MMD
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Russian FM Stresses Formation of Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan

January 20, 2024
By Fatima Adib
Tolo News
19 Jan 2024

The political analysts stressed that the interim government should accept the wishes of the international community to pave the way for recognition.

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, expressed hope for the formation of a government in Afghanistan that would feature “political inclusivity.”

Speaking at his annual news conference devoted to reviewing Moscow’s main foreign policy achievements in 2023, Lavrov said “there is a de facto government in Afghanistan, and it has the situation in control.”

“True, some hotbeds of tensions, protest do remain there, but the Taliban have real power. And our embassy never stopped operations in Kabul,” Lavrov told the reporters. “And we maintain regular communication with the Taliban, including on issues that need to be solved for them to become a fully recognized government.”

However, regarding the formation of inclusive government in Afghanistan, he said: “The fulfillment of their own promises, first and foremost, the main being the establishment of an inclusive government, which would include not only ethnic Pashtuns, not only other ethnic groups, but feature political inclusivity, as well.”

The Islamic Emirate has not commented regarding the remarks of the Russian Foreign Minister, but earlier stressed that their government is inclusive.

The political analysts stressed that the interim government should accept the wishes of the international community to pave the way for recognition.

“The people of Afghanistan want a legal system based on the laws. They want to have a government which is based on the constitution,” said Saleem Paigeer, a political analyst.

“I think the best way to ensure the political stability in Afghanistan is the Doha agreement which includes inclusive government, human rights and in general the policies of Afghanistan towards other countries,” said Sayed Muqdam Ameen, a political analyst.

The international community has repeatedly expressed concerns over the lack of formation of the international community since the Islamic Emirate came to power.

The deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the formation of an inclusive government.

Russian FM Stresses Formation of Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan
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Kabir: Wide Interaction with the World is Essentially Recognition

January 20, 2024
Fatema Adeeb
Tolo News
19 Jan 2024

Before this, some regional and other countries in the world have said that until the Islamic Emirate fulfills their promises, they will not recognize them. 

The Deputy PM for Political Affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, says that although there is no official announcement, the world recognizes the Islamic Emirate.

Speaking at a madrasa (religious school) graduation ceremony in Baghlan, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir also said that the Islamic Emirate has a balanced policy for all countries with good political and economic relations.

“The embassies of the countries of the world are open and we also have trade with the world, we have exports and imports and it’s actually like the world has recognized us although they have not announced it,” he added.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir expressed that the interaction of the Islamic Emirate with the countries of the world continues and now 17 countries have a political presence in Afghanistan.

“The Islamic Emirate as the result of its balanced policy has good relations with Islamic and non-Islamic countries, especially with neighboring countries and right now the embassies of the Islamic Emirate have been opened in 17 countries,” said the deputy PM for Political Affairs.

“These are the main issues that the world asks the Islamic Emirate for, the Islamic Emirate should not cheat themselves, and also Afghans,” Wahid Faqiri, international relations analyst said.

Before this, some regional and other countries in the world have said that until the Islamic Emirate fulfills their promises, they will not recognize them.

No use of Afghan soil against countries, observation of human rights, especially women’s rights and girl’s education, are the main conditions for the Islamic Emirate.

Kabir: Wide Interaction with the World is Essentially Recognition
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In First, Pakistan Restricting 4 of 5 Crossing Areas With Afghanistan

January 20, 2024
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
19 Jan 2024

Torkham, Spin Boldak, Ghulam Khan, Dand-e-Patan and Angur Ada are the joint crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Among 5 joint crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan, only Ghulam Khan crossing is not blocked.

According to the Chamber of Commerce and Investments, the restrictions in the trade sector are a loss to both sides and it is needed for Kabul and Islamabad to reach an agreement.

Torkham, Spin Boldak, Ghulam Khan, Dand-e-Patan and Angur Ada are the joint crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Khan Jan Alokozay,  head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is a very bad situation since the history of the creation of Pakistan that all our crossings with Pakistan have been blocked. Thousands of vehicles have stopped on that side of Torkham and hundreds of cars on this side of Torkham, and we see that Pakistan is also losing.”

Alokozay said that this is the first time that Pakistan blocked all its crossings with Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) stated that from time to time Pakistan creates problems in trade with Afghanistan and there is a need to make Afghanistan’s trade more diversified in order to solve these challenges.

Mohammad Yunus Momand, the first deputy of the ACCI, said: “Afghanistan has alternative ways and we want to expand relations with regional and neighboring countries and we don’t want relations to be damaged. As an example, we can mention that we want to import fabric from Pakistan but now other countries have taken the market for Pakistan’s fabrics, which is unfortunate for us.”

A number of businesspeople believe that Afghanistan’s trade with the countries of the region should be increased through alternative ways, including Chabahar port.

“We ask the chambers of commerce to find alternative ways for us, like Central Asia, because Pakistan often shuts down when it’s grape or pomegranate season under various excuses,” said Zadran Naseri, a trader.

“The fruit that is outside is also inside the country, they should prepare cold storage and arrange a transit route for us, via Pakistan or India,” said Khwaja Shamsuddin, another trader.

Earlier, Pakistan also closed the Torkham crossing for 9 days, and the blocking of Afghan goods in the port of Karachi caused more than $26 million dollars in losses for the traders of both sides.

In First, Pakistan Restricting 4 of 5 Crossing Areas With Afghanistan
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Calls Mount From Businesspeople to Open Torkham Crossing

January 19, 2024
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
18 Jan 2024

ACCI said that with the closure of the Torkham crossing for commercial vehicles, a loss of $100,000 dollars has been sustained by the merchants.

A number of merchants said that the closure of the Torkham crossing to commercial vehicles has caused Afghanistan’s fresh fruit and vegetables to spoil on this route.

Some of these businesspeople said that the officials of the Islamic Emirate should solve these problems in a fundamental way with dialogue with the Pakistani authorities.

“We have transit exports. Onions from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are exported from Afghanistan to Torkham and from Torkham to Pakistan. Our merchants also export tomatoes, black eggplants, all seasonal fruits and our vegetables. We have both exports and imports and the one who suffers are Afghan traders,” Mirwais Hajizada, a trader, told TOLOnews.

“Dozens of fruit trucks have been stopped on the other side of the crossing and hundreds of cars have been stopped on both sides. Most of our fruits are rotten,” said Akhtar Mohammad Ahmadi, a merchant.

During the past year, Afghanistan’s trade relations with Pakistan have had ups and downs, the closure of the Torkham crossing four months ago and the blocking of Afghan goods in Karachi port have caused more than $26 million dollars in losses to the country’s merchants.

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that with the closure of the Torkham crossing for commercial vehicles, a loss of $100,000 dollars has been sustained by the merchants.

Mohammad Yunus Momand, the first deputy of the ACCI, emphasized that the caretaker government of Pakistan should act according to international principles in trade with Afghanistan.

Momand said: “the containers which are blocked in Karachi port are involved in Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) and international transit agreements, but they [Pakistan] did not follow these agreements.”

Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI) said that although the officials of this chamber had meetings with Pakistani officials for the purpose of addressing the challenges of traders, the positive result has not come yet.

Naqibullah Safi, chief executive officer of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber, said: “The more communication between us and Pakistan, the contents are common and this has a positive effect, and the communication between the private sector of the two sides should increase.”

The statistics of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that in the past year, more than $2.46 billion worth of trade has been done with Pakistan, of which $1 billion and five million dollars are exports, but restrictions from Pakistan remain a challenging issue for business people.

Calls Mount From Businesspeople to Open Torkham Crossing
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Worsening economic insecurity under Taliban rule in Afghanistan: UNDP Report

January 18, 2024
Khaama Press

The latest report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Afghanistan indicates a worsening economic insecurity under the control of the Taliban regime.

Released on Thursday, January 18th, the organization’s report reveals that 69% of Afghanistan’s population faces a shortage of necessities, including healthcare, essential goods, suitable living conditions, and vital job opportunities.

According to this report, the social and economic situation in Afghanistan has darkened since the emergence of the Taliban administration, resulting in severe economic insecurity for the population.

The UNDP report states that currently, seven out of every ten people in Afghanistan are unable to meet their basic life requirements and are grappling with economic insecurity.

The findings of this organization continue to highlight the attack on women’s rights and its consequences, alongside the collapse of the banking system in Afghanistan, as undeniable setbacks that have raised serious concerns.

Since the Taliban assumed control in Afghanistan, they have imposed severe restrictions on women, including bans on education and working with aid agencies, both domestic and international. These restrictions have further aggravated the economic plight of the Afghan population, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in the country.

Worsening economic insecurity under Taliban rule in Afghanistan: UNDP Report
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Karzai emphasizes national dialogue and girls’ education in meeting with UN Envoy

January 18, 2024
Khaama Press
Image/Karzai/Twitter.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Markus Potzel, the Political Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Afghanistan.

During the meeting, they discussed the report by Feridun Sinirliuglu, the Special Coordinator of the United Nations Secretary-General for Afghanistan, and Security Council Resolution 2721.

Mr. Karzai said on his social media platform X that he emphasized the importance of national consensus to strengthen peace and stability in the country.

Additionally, Hamid Karzai stressed the need to reopen schools and universities for girls in Afghanistan, highlighting the significance of advancing education in the country.

On December 29, 2023, the Security Council adopted a resolution that called for the Secretary-General’s appointment of a Special Envoy for Afghanistan. This Special Envoy is expected to possess strong expertise in human rights and gender.

The resolution emphasized the crucial significance of maintaining the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as part of ongoing efforts in the region.

The Security Council’s decision reflects the international community’s commitment to addressing Afghanistan’s complex challenges, particularly human rights and gender issues. It highlights the continued involvement of the United Nations in these efforts.

Karzai emphasizes national dialogue and girls’ education in meeting with UN Envoy
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Haqqani, Iodice Discuss Next Month’s Meeting on Afghanistan

January 18, 2024
TOLOnews
TV Network
17 Jan 2024

The acting Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, in a meeting with Rafaella Iodice, the EU Chargée d’Affaires for Afghanistan, talked about a range of topics including next month’s meeting in Doha on Afghanistan.

The Interior Ministry in a statement quoted Haqqani as saying, “the presence of the Islamic Emirate representatives in the international organizations and meetings is key to resolving issues.”

“Afghanistan needs to be a member of major international organisations in order to interact with the world more, and the demand should be resolved through close understanding,” the ministry’s spokesman, Abdul Mateen Qani said.

The spokesman quoted Haqqani as saying that “after several decades of instability and chaos, Afghanistan is rapidly moving towards economic and political stability.”

Qani added that during the meeting, Rafaella Iodice talked about the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghan people including assistance to Herat’s earthquake affected people and the Afghan returnees.

Political analysts said that the presence of the representative of the Islamic Emirate in international meetings is important.

“In order for these meetings to be effective, a representative of the Islamic Emirate must be present. The representative of the Islamic Emirate will respond to any decisions made and criticisms raised,” Gul Mohammad Mohammadi, a political analyst told TOLOnews.

“It is not enough to have a representative from Kabul in a meeting concerning foreign aid. In Afghanistan major reforms are necessary from the government in order to be recognized,” Tariq Farhadi, another political analyst told TOLOnews.

The discussion between Haqqani and Iodice about the Doha meeting comes as last month a meeting was held in Qatar on women’s education in Afghanistan. The attendees of that meeting placed a strong emphasis on allowing females to receive an education.

Haqqani, Iodice Discuss Next Month’s Meeting on Afghanistan
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Women, Girls Bearing Brunt of Economic, Humanitarian Crisis: UNDP

January 18, 2024
Mitra Majeedy
Tolo News
18 Jan 2024

Rodriques said that 7 out of 10 Afghans are unable to fulfill their basic needs for food, health care and employment.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said that women and girls are bearing the brunt of the economic and humanitarian crises where female-headed households work more for the same household per capita income, consume a lower quantity of food, and women constantly lose their share of employment compared to men, while girls’ education attendance is at alarmingly low levels.

Speaking at a press event in Kabul, UNDP Resident Representative for Afghanistan, Stephen Rodriques, said that the economic loss caused by the restrictions on the female workforce was estimated to have reached US$ 1 billion at the end of 2022.

“This is largely due to a number of facts including restricted banking services. Suspension of official development weakened and isolated …economic institutions, and a lack of foreign direct investment,” he said.

Rodriques said that 7 out of 10 Afghans are unable to fulfill their basic needs for food, health care and employment.

“While the economy appears to be stabilizing, it is simply not growing fast enough to meet the needs of the 35 million in growing population,” he said.

The chargé d’affaires of the Japan embassy, Takuya Tanimoto, said Japan seeks to help the people of Afghanistan to become self-reliant, “to support Afghanistan’s people in maintaining and improving their lives and becoming self-reliant through their own efforts,” he said.

The UNDP released its report of 2 years in review “Changes in Afghan Economy, Households and Cross-Cutting Sectors (August 2021 to August 2023)” on Thursday.

Women, Girls Bearing Brunt of Economic, Humanitarian Crisis: UNDP
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