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NATO’s Self-Praising Report
January 26, 2012
With all the targeted killings, suicide bombings and other terror activities that took lives of thousands of innocent people last year, the NATO has termed 2011 as a successful year in Afghanistan. In a "remarkably successful" year, Taliban had been forced onto the back foot in their southern stronghold, said International Security Assistance Force ...
The Eternal Fight for Power
January 26, 2012
In the course of Afghan history of modern politics, personal tactical and ephemeral gains have almost always overwhelmed nation-wide, long term accomplishments. Since the very first days following establishment of the first ever territorial state in Afghanistan, an absolute majority of the ruling elites have owned the ...
A Change for Better!
January 25, 2012
A political system is established within a state so as to safeguard the rights of its people and solve the socio-political issues that may hamper the better life opportunities. If a system fulfills the challenges and solves the problems that may erupt within a state, the system is said to be an ideal system. However, it is not possible to ...
Peace Process: A Hen that Lays Golden Eggs
January 25, 2012
As compared to Taliban, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar-led Hezbi Islami – the second powerful insurgents' group in Afghanistan – shows more alacrity to peace talks with Afghan government and the United States. A group comprising representatives of Hezbi Islami held meetings in Presidential Palace about a month ago showing ...
Handing Afghanistan to the Sick Lion Multiplies Concerns
January 24, 2012
The withdrawal process of international troops and ongoing efforts to involve Taliban in negotiation for a political solution to Afghan war have fuelled the concerns of the people of Afghanistan. The gloomy picture of Afghanistan's future has resulted in the disappointment and despair of Afghans. The little development in ...
Achievements of Past should not be Compromised
January 24, 2012
Initially when terms like "military withdrawal and transition of responsibilities" to Afghan security forces hit the domestic and international News' headlines, many Afghan officials as well as civilians used not to take them seriously, assuming them only as terms to hint Kabul officials to do their best in order to ...
Syria Rejects League’s Request
January 24, 2012
It has been around two months that Arab league and Syrian government made an agreement to end the violence in Syria, yet the mission has not been accomplished. Last month, Damascus allowed the monitoring team to check out whether the regime put in practice its commitment or not. Few days ago, the mandate expired and the team presented...
Government’s Reactive Position in Peace Talks
January 23-2012
Marc Grossman, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is in Kabul for talks with president Karzai on peace negotiations going on with Taliban delegation in Qatar. The decade-long struggle against Taliban and HizbeIslami of Hekmatyar led to secret negotiations between US government and Taliban representatives more ...
Uncertainty of Ordinary Afghans about Future
January 23-2012
According to latest reports, the number of Afghans fleeing the country to seek asylum in the West has increased. UN statistics show that over 30,000 Afghans applied for asylum worldwide from January to November last year. It shows a 25 percent increase compared to 2010. This increase shows a shocking reality ...
Ethnicity—Recruitment—Militants
January 23-2012
On Friday, Jan. 20, four French soldiers shot death by an Afghan soldier on a base in Kapisa province about whom yet no critical information publicized. There is no information at disposal about him and his motivation for shooting French soldiers. The only thing yet reported is: he was arrested and is under investigation, but...
Where Can the ‘Secret Reconciliation Process’ Lead?
January 22, 2012
The ambiguous reconciliation process with Taliban is not only widening the gap between the Afghan people and Western allies but also making the future of Afghanistan's political scenario very much uncertain. There are fears that after the withdrawal of international troops and inappropriate arrangements of peace a civil war may erupt in ...
On President Karzai’s Reaction to Proposed Parliamentary Democracy
January 22, 2012
After days of reaction by some circles affiliated with President Hamid Karzai, this time he himself reacted to the proposed plan for initiating a national debate on changing the current individual-based presidential system into a parliamentary democracy that is accountable to the people. President Karzai outpoured his reaction this ...
A Road to Nowhere!
January 21, 2012
With the 'war against terrorism' reaching to its final phase, the controversies about the war are getting serious. In fact the war does not seem to be going towards a glorious victory; rather the facts and figures are pointing towards an uncertain conclusion ...
Increasing Incidents of ANA Killing ISAF Troops
January 21, 2012
The killing of four French troops by an Afghan soldier is an extremely disturbing trend which should worry Afghan leaders as well as the ISAF trainers of Afghan National Security Forces. On Friday, an ANA soldier opened fire on French troops in a camp in Tagab District of Kapisa Province killing four and injuring 16 ...
The Never-Healing Injury
January 21, 2012
With the dawn of 2012, one of the provinces of Afghanistan where security has gone really concerning is the southern province of Kandahar. In January only, more than two dozens of people majorly civilians have been the victims of terrorism. Kandahar is the spiritual home of Taliban but it is also the birth place of Mr. Hamid ...
Acting-Ministers and Violation of Constitution
January 19, 2012
Sources from the Presidential Palace say President Karzai has finalized nominations for cabinet members to get vote of confidence from the lower house of parliament soon. But once again they are going to be the same faces, those acting ministers who have been rejected by the previous parliament thrice. Some new faces might ...
This time British Soldiers!
January 19, 2012
It seems like, as we move ahead, more stories of mistreatments of foreign troops towards Afghans will be unveiled. Following the shocking video – showing US Marines urinating on the corpse of Taliban -, British newspaper 'The Sun' reported yesterday that Two British soldiers had been arrested over claims of ...
Developments can not be Neglected
January 19, 2012
War on Terrorism is in its tenth year which is not a short period. The world stood behind US when in 2001 after 9/11 attacks it decided to launch operation against terrorism in Afghanistan under the name 'endeavoring freedom.' However, this main objective has not yet been achieved despite the men and money sacrifices. The ...
Electricity from Central Asia to Pakistan via Afghanistan
January 18, 2012
Who can realize the importance of electricity more than Afghans, who are still suffering from the severe load shading even after the ten years of international engage ment in Afghanistan? Tens of billions of dollars came and spent here but Afghans yet to see the tangible change in their routine ...
Insurgency Paralyzes the Development Process
January 18, 2012
With the approach of the international coalition forces withdrawal from Afghanistan, the security situation is getting tense in the country. The brutal insurgents are fully determined to continue their deadly activities against the government and international forces. Afghan government wants to prolong the reintegration ...
Assad Nudges Protestors
January 18, 2012
Mr. President Bashar-al-Assad has announced general impunity, including for army defectors for all crimes committed since March 2011. the announcement comes after agreement with Arab League in November last year to pull back security forces out of streets and end to crackdown of peaceful protestors which has already left five thousand ...
Extremism Penetration Trouble
January 17, 2012
Amidst the hard talks on peace negotiations with Taliban, the country is undergoing a hardly-tolerable suffering. Major parts of the country are still threatened by Taliban extremists and the government remains weaker than it makes bluffs. Indications suggest that to change the situation, the government needs major reforms. On the other ...
US Starts Consultation on Negotiation Process with Taliban
January 17, 2012
Amid US efforts for establishment of an office for Taliban in Qatar, the Karzai administration has been signaling worries about being sidelined in the process of negotiation with the insurgents. How come so disappointed? Indeed, ending the Afghan war through a political settlement is not possible without participation of Karzai ...
Winter Catastrophe in Badakhshan
January 17, 2012
Heavy snow avalanches in Badakhshan have killed more than 16 people. Hundreds of villages are trapped, roads blocked and many missing feared to be dead. At least 12 districts of the province are disconnected with center. In one village, 72 houses have been buried under snow. It is feared that the death toll will increase. Thousands of villagers in ...
Half of Development Budget not Spent Again this Year
January 16, 2012
The trend of government agencies not being able to spend what they should seems to have turned into a chronic disease from which the government finds no cure. As in previous years when various agencies of the government of Afghanistan could not spend more than half of the development budget, this year too various government ...
Another Area of Failure
January 16, 2012
The Afghan government and its international partners have, undoubtedly, failed to counter the growing insurgency in the country. Nevertheless, there is another area in which they have badly failed to bring about any positive change and that is the 'Afghan drugs.' Amid lowest security prevailing in Afghanistan, this country continues to ...
Roadside Bombs are Proving to be Deadly
January 16, 2012
One of the most effective, but cowardly, Talibans' weapons – the roadside bombs – killed two women in southern Afghanistan on Friday, January 13, 2012. According to the reports the women stepped on the explosive buried on a roadside in Helmand province. Roadside bombs have been one of the tactics that Taliban opted after they were ...
How the Government is Part of the Problem
January 15, 2012
Over the last ten years, international community has been helping Afghan (Karzai's) government to expand its writ into every nook and corner of the country. But these ten years of international support for Karzai's administration has not produced any tangible result in terms of state penetration in the society. It is very unfortunate ...
Fears of Coup in Pakistan
January 15, 2012
Pakistan is going through political turbulence nowadays. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and other senior officials of the ruling Pakistan People's Party have openly feared a direct military coup or a takeover through judicial dismissal of the government. It is known since the day first of the PPP government that the ...
“The Ongoing Reconciliation Process is Flawed”
January 12, 2012
Afghan authorities and US, in urgency to conclude the war against terrorism through some sort of reconciliation with Taliban, are neglecting some of the very important facts. It is not only the urgency of the process but also its ambiguous nature that is making it very much mysterious. Even the Afghan presidential office seems ...
Govt. to Sell New Kabul Bank
January 12, 2012
According to some reliable sources, the government of Afghanistan has planned to sell the New Kabul Bank (NKB) at the end of June this year. Afghanistan's Central Bank, Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) took over Kabul Bank last year when it started facing crisis because of issuing huge amounts of loans to its own shareholders. The bank ...
Regional Competition over Syria
January 12, 2012
The regional controversy has complicated the situation in Syria. There is no plan to end violence and bloodshed in short-term. According to United Nations' report around 5 thousand people have been killed by Mr. Bashar-al-Assad's regime during past ten months since the start of uprising in the country. Moreover, during past days since the ...
Afghanization of Peace Process
January 11, 2012
It seems that all the parties and all the incidents are leading towards a reconciliation process between Afghan government, Western allies and Taliban so as to have lasting peace in Afghanistan. After the reports of Taliban office in Qatar, there have been claims even by the Taliban that they are having negotiation with the US regarding a ...
It Isn’t the First Withdrawal Afghans are Witnessing
January 11, 2012
10,000 US soldiers have already said good bye to Afghanistan. At the end of this, 23,000 more US soldiers will leave Afghanistan. The process of withdrawal will continue until 2014 when all foreign forces will abandon Afghanistan. It is important to mention that this is not the first and the only time the Afghans are witnessing withdrawal ...
Transfer of Control at Bagram Prison
January 11, 2012
The order of President Karzai that the Bagram Prison be transferred to Afghan control could be a positive step of transition, only if the conditions were to allow. A sudden reactionary move, this untimely demand of President Karzai to ask for immediate transfer of control at the most important prison in Afghanistan from ...