Acting Defense Minister: Intl Engagement Depends on National Interests

February 20, 2025 Current News Articles

Mohammad Bashir Soltani

Tolo News

20 Feb 2025

Fasihuddin Fitrat, the chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense, spoke about nationwide security, stating that warlordism has been eliminated in the country.

Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting minister of defense, stressed positive relations with world countries during a ceremony in Kabul today (Thursday).

Speaking at the inauguration of a new section of Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital, he stated that Afghanistan is part of the world and that the Islamic Emirate is fully prepared for positive engagement with all countries based on national and Islamic interests.

Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said: “As long as it does not contradict our national interests, we are ready to engage with all countries. We are part of this world and want to live alongside the global community.”

The acting minister also stated that the Islamic Emirate supports domestic professionals and urged Afghans living abroad to return and contribute to Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

He said: “Our request is that they return to their country and serve the people. It is true that salaries are higher there, facilities are better, and life is more comfortable. We also understand that some may have concerns, but this is a great goal.”

Meanwhile, Fasihuddin Fitrat, the chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense, spoke about nationwide security, stating that warlordism has been eliminated in the country.

Fasihuddin Fitrat further stated: “There are those who fought against the world’s greatest powers for twenty years, and today they have the capability to fully defend Afghanistan. We have proven this in practice—whoever rises against us anywhere in Afghanistan has been crushed on the spot.”

Officials from the Ministry of Defense announced that the new section of Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital, which was previously used as a military base by NATO forces under the former government, has been transformed into a fully equipped 100-bed hospital at a cost of two billion afghani.

Fitrat: Islamic Emirate ‘Not Obligated’ to Adhere to Rome Statute

February 20, 2025 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

20 Feb 2025

Baradar Calls on Countries to Abandon Pressure Tactics

February 20, 2025 Current News Articles

Mohammad Bashir Soltani

Tolo News

20 Feb 2025

Taliban confirm Pakistan’s new plan for swift mass eviction of Afghan refugees

February 20, 2025 Current News Articles

By Ayaz Gul

VOA News

February 19, 2025

FILE – Afghanistan’s minister for refugees Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, center, looks on as he arrives to inspect a refugee camp near the Afghanistan-Pakistan Torkham border in Nangarhar province on Nov. 2, 2023.

Islamabad — Diplomats from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban reported Wednesday that neighboring Pakistan is implementing a plan for the “imminent” and swift mass deportation of nearly three million Afghan refugees from its territory.

The Taliban-operated embassy in Islamabad issued the statement, ending days of uncertainty about an ongoing police crackdown to arrest and remove Afghan citizens, including legal refugees, from the Pakistani capital and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi.

The Afghan diplomatic mission stated that Pakistan did not formally notify Kabul about its latest refugee deportation plans. It added that several attempts were made through diplomatic channels to seek clarification from the host government regarding the reasons behind the detentions and removals of Afghan nationals from the two cities.

“Ultimately, officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there is a definitive and final plan to deport/remove all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future,” the Wednesday statement noted.

The Taliban reaction comes nearly three weeks after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a multistage plan targeting the Afghan refugee population in the country. They include more than 1.4 million legally declared refugees with UNHCR-granted proof of registration cards, or PoRs, who have been granted permission by Pakistan to remain in the country until June 30, 2025.

The rest of the population in question comprises nearly 900,000 documented economic migrants holding the Afghan Citizenship Card (ACC), an estimated 40,000 awaiting promised relocation to the United States or other Western countries, and individuals living in Pakistan without legal status or having exceeded their visa duration.

The Taliban embassy stated Wednesday that Pakistani officials informed it that only Afghan nationals with valid legal visas would be permitted to reside in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

“They further stated that the government has decided to immediately remove all Afghan refugees, including those holding ACC and PoR cards, from Islamabad and Rawalpindi and that their expulsion from the entire country is imminent,” the statement added.

The UNHCR has meanwhile also confirmed that the Pakistani government plans to relocate all Afghan refugees out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by February 28, except for holders of valid visas.

The Afghan embassy noted that it expressed “serious concerns” to Islamabad and international organizations regarding “the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees within such a short timeframe and the unilateral nature of Pakistan’s decision.”

The spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry rejected the Taliban embassy’s claims of mistreatment of Afghan nationals during the repatriation process as misplaced. “In this connection, we also extensively engaged the Afghan side to ensure smooth repatriation of Afghan nationals,” Shafqat Ali Khan stated in a brief statement.

The deportation plan, seen by VOA, requires authorities to relocate around 40,000 Afghans out of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31 and subsequently arrange for their repatriation to Afghanistan if their relocation and resettlement cases to third countries are not processed expeditiously. These individuals fled their country after the Taliban militarily recaptured its control in 2021, primarily seeking shelter from potential retribution due to their affiliations with the U.S. and NATO forces.

Last month, President Donald Trump halted the U.S. Refugee Admission Program to assess whether reinstating it serves the interests of Washington, stranding thousands of Afghan allies in Pakistan approved for, or being evaluated for, relocation to the U.S.

The UNHCR says that more than 825,000 undocumented Afghans have already been forcibly repatriated from Pakistan since 2023, resulting from a government crackdown on foreigners living in the country without legal permission or whose visas had expired.

Islamabad has defended the crackdown, attributing a recent rise in crime in Pakistan and increased militancy to Afghan nationals.

Pakistan steps up arrests of Afghans without papers. Kabul says it’s a move to expel all refugees

February 20, 2025 Current News Articles

By MUNIR AHMED

Associated Press

February 19, 2025

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Authorities have stepped up arrests of Afghan citizens in Pakistan’s capital and a nearby city in an effort that the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad described on Wednesday as a push to force the expulsion of all Afghan refugees from the country.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry promptly dismissed the allegation, saying that the authorities were only trying to facilitate conditions for the swift return of Afghans to their home country.

Pakistan has long threatened to deport Afghans living in the country illegally.

Separately, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month approved a March 31 deadline to deport those awaiting relocation to third countries unless their cases are swiftly processed by the governments that have agreed to take them, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.

More than 800,000 Afghans have returned home or have been expelled by force from Pakistan since 2023, according to the International Organization for Migration, a U.N. agency that tracks migrations.

In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, the Afghan Embassy — which represents the Taliban-run government of Afghanistan — criticized “the short time

Afghans in Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi have been subjected to arrests, searches, and orders from police to leave the two cities and relocate to other parts of Pakistan, the embassy said.

It further claimed that for all Afghans, “expulsion is imminent” — something the embassy said Pakistani authorities had not communicated to Kabul “ through any formal correspondence.”

More than half a million Afghans who fled the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 have been living without papers in Pakistan, thousands of them waiting for resettlement in the United States and elsewhere.

There are also some 1.45 million Afghan refugees, registered with the U.N. refugee agency, most of whom fled during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation of their country. Last July, Pakistan extended the stay of refugees registered with the UNHCR until June 2025, saying they will not be arrested or deported at least until the extension expires.

Sharif’s January decision appears to be a reversal of that extension and followed a widely criticized anti-migrant crackdown by his government targeting anyone without valid documentation regardless of nationality, according to Pakistani authorities.

Ultimately, the embassy said, “Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there is a definitive and final plan to deport all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future.”

Pakistan foreign ministry defended its stance on Wednesday.

“While Pakistan has done what it could, we expect … Afghan authorities to create conducive conditions so returnees are fully integrated in Afghan society,” it said.

After President Donald Trump paused U.S. refugee programs last month, around 20,000 Afghans who were awaiting resettlement in Pakistan are now in limbo.

Ahmad Shah, a member of an Afghan advocacy group, urged Pakistan on Wednesday to allow Afghans waiting for relocation to continue living in Islamabad — at least until the Trump administration makes a final decision about their fate.

He said it would be hard for them to visit Western embassies in the Pakistani capital if they are forced to move to other areas.

UNAMA: Restrictions on women in Afghanistan have long-term consequences

February 18, 2025 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

February 18, 2025

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that the Taliban’s restrictions on women have caused long-term harm to Afghanistan’s society. The organization emphasized the urgent need to address these issues.

On Tuesday, February 18, UNAMA shared an image of Roza Otunbayeva, its head, at a meeting organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The office stressed that more constructive discussions are needed regarding the situation of Afghanistan’s women.

UNAMA highlighted that restrictions on education, employment, and healthcare access have had severe long-term consequences for Afghanistan. These limitations continue to impact women’s lives and the country’s overall development.

The organization further stated that meaningful participation of women in these key areas is urgently needed. Excluding women from these sectors prevents social and economic progress and deepens the humanitarian crisis.

The Taliban have banned Afghanistan’s women and girls from education, employment, and basic freedoms, severely limiting their rights and opportunities. These restrictions have drawn strong criticism from the international community.

Despite global condemnation, the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women have not stopped. International pressure has so far failed to reverse these policies, leaving women with limited opportunities and uncertain futures.

The continued suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan has isolated the country diplomatically and economically. Many nations and organizations refuse to fully engage with the Taliban regime until significant policy changes occur.

As the world calls for reforms, Afghanistan’s women remain at the center of a human rights crisis. Without urgent intervention, the long-term damage caused by these restrictions may hinder Afghanistan’s development for generations.

UN: Afghanistan faces one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates

February 18, 2025 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

February 18, 2025

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned about the negative impacts of the ban on women’s and girls’ education in the field of medical sciences in Afghanistan, describing it as a factor that could lead to a long-term crisis in the country’s healthcare sector.

On Tuesday, February 18, OCHA released a report stating that the maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan is three times higher than the global average.

According to the report, on December 2, 2024, the Ministry of Higher Education under the Taliban administration ordered the closure of all medical institutes for women and girls, including higher education and semi-professional programs. This decision poses serious challenges to the future of Afghanistan’s healthcare system.

Earlier, some media outlets reported that Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat, Deputy Minister of Public Health, had announced during a meeting with medical institute officials in Kabul that female students would no longer be allowed to continue their studies in these institutions.

A day after this announcement, the Taliban authorities in Kabul and several other provinces began preventing girls from entering these educational institutions. Before this decision, women and girls were pursuing education in fields such as midwifery, pharmacy, dental prosthetics, laboratory sciences, radiology, physiotherapy, and nursing in medical institutes.

According to United Nations statistics, Afghanistan is among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

The ban on women’s medical education will not only worsen the existing healthcare crisis but will also deprive Afghan society of skilled female professionals who play a crucial role in maternal and child healthcare. This decision threatens to create a severe shortage of female healthcare workers, which could disproportionately impact women, particularly in rural areas where cultural norms often prevent them from receiving treatment from male doctors.

Addressing this issue requires urgent international intervention and policy changes to ensure that Afghan women and girls can resume their education and contribute to the healthcare sector. Without immediate action, Afghanistan’s healthcare system risks further collapse, leading to increased suffering and loss of lives.

US Aid Cut May Shrink Afghan Economy by 7%

February 18, 2025 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

18 Feb 2025

Some Kabul residents have expressed concerns over economic challenges and unemployment, calling on authorities to assist those in need.

The Center for Global Development, in a newly published report, has stated that the suspension of US aid will have catastrophic consequences for poor countries, including Afghanistan.

The report mentions that Afghanistan is one of eight countries most dependent on US aid.

The Center for Global Development also stated that 35% of all foreign aid to Afghanistan was provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the suspension of this aid will result in a 7% reduction in Afghanistan’s economic growth.

Meanwhile, some Kabul residents have expressed concerns over economic challenges and unemployment, calling on authorities to assist those in need.

“My request to the officials is to come and survey our home and help those who are in need, especially as the holy month of Ramadan is approaching,” Mujahid, a Kabul resident, told TOLOnews.

The Ministry of Economy acknowledged the short-term negative impact of the suspension of US humanitarian aid on those in need but said that it will have no effect on the overall economy of Afghanistan.

“In the short term, it will have negative effects on our people as some benefited from this aid, but overall, it cannot negatively impact the country’s economy because all economic programs rely on domestic revenue,” Abdul Rahman Habib, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, told TOLOnews.

“Aid organizations operating in Afghanistan did not have significant efficiency, faced distribution challenges, and were not effective and beneficial,” said Abdul Ghaffar Nazami, an economic analyst.

According to the report by the Center for Global Development, the United States has provided over $3 billion in financial aid to Afghanistan in the past three years and has been the country’s largest financial supporter.

However, the restriction of this aid has placed Afghanistan among the most economically vulnerable countries in the world.

Kabul evacuation whistleblower wins case against UK government

February 18, 2025 Current News Articles

Matthew Weaver

A civil servant who blew the whistle about the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Boris Johnson’s involvement in a decision to evacuate a pet charity from Kabul has won her case for unfair dismissal against the government in a legal first.

An employment panel of three judges unanimously found the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) unfairly dismissed Josie Stewart in 2021 after she leaked information in the public interest.

Stewart lost her job after her security clearance was removed when it emerged she told the BBC about failures in the withdrawal from Kabul and leaked emails suggesting that Johnson had prioritised staff from the animal charity Nowzad for evacuation over more deserving cases.

At a hearing last May, Ben Collins KC, counsel for the FCDO, argued that the right to whistleblow did not extend to giving security clearance to those with a record of leaking.

But Stewart’s barrister, Gavin Millar KC, said if the FCDO’s argument succeeded it would “drive a coach and horses through” the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (Pida) aimed at protecting whistleblowers.

A landmark judgment issued on Tuesday said: “The tribunal considered that it was reasonable for the claimant [Stewart] to go to the UK’s public service broadcaster when relevant information and/or allegations had already been put into the public domain … and government ministers were publicly disputing them.”

It added: “Was the claimant’s belief that she made the disclosure in the public interest a reasonable belief? The tribunal found that it was. The prime minister and foreign secretary were denying things that the claimant believed to be true, based on what she had observed in the course of her work.”

The tribunal also backed Stewart’s claim for unfair dismissal. It said: “The tribunal considered that no reasonable employer, acting reasonably, could base a decision to dismiss an employee in the claimant’s position on a process which failed to engage in any way with the case that she was putting forward. This was sufficient to lead the tribunal to conclude that the dismissal was unfair.”

But the panel did accept that it was “unavoidable” that she was suspended from her job “while her security clearance was reviewed, as she was required to have such clearance”.

Stewart’s solicitors, James and West, a legal firm that specialises in whistleblowing, said the judgment was “groundbreaking”, as it was the first case of its kind to establish that a civil servant was protected for disclosures to the media.

Stewart, 44, who had worked at the FCDO office for seven years, said: “My experience of the FCDO crisis centre in August 2021 reflected the worst of our political system. By calling this out, I lost my career. The outcome of this case doesn’t change any of this, but it has achieved what I set out to achieve: it has established that civil servants have the right not to stay silent when systemic failures put lives at risk, as happened during the Afghan evacuation.

“We can’t have a system that stays stay silent no matter what you see, and forces dedicated public servants to choose between their conscience and their career.”

Cathy James, Stewart’s solicitor, said: “Today, the employment tribunal has vindicated my client’s actions and upheld her rights. This is an important win not just for Ms Stewart but for civil servants, the public interest, and democracy.”

Millar said in submissions to the panel that Stewart’s whistleblowing related to “the endangerment of the safety and lives of extremely vulnerable people in danger of retribution from the Taliban at any moment, and a government communications strategy which concealed how badly the UK government let those people down”.

The FCDO has been approached for comment.

Taliban representatives visit Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials

February 18, 2025 Current News Articles

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

Associated Press

February 18, 2025

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese officials said senior Taliban representatives were in the capital for talks, as part of Tokyo’s efforts to help Afghanistan build a more inclusive political system and protect human rights.

It’s the Taliban’s first known diplomatic trip outside the Central Asia-Middle East region since they seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021.

The unidentified representatives were invited by grant-making organization Nippon Zaidan and were also set to talk with Japanese Foreign Ministry officials, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Monday.

The Taliban were invited to help them better understand the need “to have a broad perspective toward their future nation building and to widely accept humanitarian assistance from the international community for vulnerable people,” Nippon Zaidan said in a statement. It declined to give details of the visitors and their schedule.

Japan does not formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.

Hayashi noted the visit was initiated by a private organization but complements the Japanese government’s effort to work with the international community to call on the Taliban to make policy changes that protect human rights.

The Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls, a major hurdle to their recognition as the official government of Afghanistan.

The trip was initially revealed by Latif Nazari, the deputy economy minister, who posted on the X platform that “a high-level delegation” was heading to Japan and that the Taliban seek dignified engagement with the world as an active member of the international community.

No further details about the trip were available from the Taliban government on Tuesday.

Recent Posts