Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Saturday, March 30th, 2024

Kabul Should Lead Anti-Corruption Efforts: Ludin

Kabul  Should Lead  Anti-Corruption Efforts: Ludin

April 25, 2012

KABUL - Afghanistan's government will push at an upcoming conference of donor countries in Chicago for Afghans to have more control over aid and security assistance spending, with a top diplomat saying Kabul should also spearhead anti-corruption efforts.
The intense focus of other countries on graft in his country in ...

NATO to Withdraw, EU to Stay

NATO to Withdraw, EU to Stay

April 25, 2012

KABUL - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged more spending for security from the EU nations and denied the Alliance's involvement in CIA's secret prisons in Europe. Rasmussen has spoken on 23 April to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and answered questions on the 2011 operations in Libya, situation in ...

Gov. Atta Renews Opposition to US Bases

Gov. Atta Renews  Opposition to US Bases

April 25, 2012

MAZAR-I-SHARIF - The governor of northern Balkh province on Tuesday renewed his opposition to the establishment of the proposed US military bases in Afghanistan.
However, a number of provincial councils' members from several provinces defended the bases as the need of the ...

FM Condemns US CODEL Statement

FM Condemns US CODEL Statement

April 24, 2012

KABUL - Any proposal from outside parties about changes in the present form of government in Afghanistan tantamount to interference in the country's internal affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.
The condemnation comes a day after a group of US Congressmen and leaders of the Afghanistan National Front (ANF) suggested that parliamentary system was a good alternative to the present presidential system to resolve the ongoing political crises.
After their meetings, the front leader, Ahmad Zia Massoud, told a joint press conference in Kabul ...

Military Force Does Not Contradict Political Solution in Afghanistan: Rasmussen

Military Force Does Not Contradict Political Solution in Afghanistan: Rasmussen

April 24, 2012

KABUL - NATOs chief said he supports talks with the Taliban, but said that it was equally important to apply military pressure to the insurgent group.
In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also did not rule out the alliance returning to ...

MTN Provides Medical Treatment to 900 patients

MTN Provides Medical Treatment to 900 patients

April 24, 2012

KABUL - MTN mobile clinic visited different areas in Kabul city and treated around 900 patients for free. The people appreciated this humane act of MTN Foundation and asked for the Continues visits mobile clinic to the areas where people are poor ...

US Monetary Aid not Clarified in Accord: Spanta

US Monetary Aid not Clarified in Accord: Spanta

April 24, 2012

KABUL - The security advisor to the president on Monday said, the monetary assistance from the US government to Afghanistan was not clarified and the two governments could extend and cancel the decade-long agreement.
Speaking at Monday's session of Wolesi Jirga, RanginDadfarSpanta, said US military bases in Afghanistan was not mentioned in the draft of ...

US to Support Govt. Chosen by Afghans: Crocker

US to Support Govt. Chosen by Afghans: Crocker

April 24, 2012

KANDAHAR CITY - US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker said on Monday his country would support any government system backed by the Afghan people.
A visiting group of US Congressmen and leaders of the Afghanistan National Front (ANF) on Sunday suggested a parliamentary model as a suitable alternative to the present presidential ...

AISA asks World to Finance ANSF

AISA asks World to  Finance ANSF

April 24, 2012

KABUL - If the international community fails to fund Afghan National Security Forces after 2014, as sought by the Afghan government, mega development projects in the country could face financial problems, the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) cautioned on Monday.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the government plans to ask the ...

Afghan-US Strategic Deal Finalized: Faizi

Afghan-US Strategic Deal  Finalized: Faizi

April 23, 2012

KABUL - Afghanistan and the US on Sunday finalized the contents of the much-talked strategic partnership deal that allows a specific number of US troops to stay in the war-torn country after 2014, when most foreign troops are scheduled to leave, an official said.
President Hamid Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi told Pajhwok Afghan News that although the deal was finalized, foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul and national security advisor, Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, were to brief both houses of Parliament on the contents on Monday.
After approved by the Parliament, the agreement would be sent to ...

National Front Calls for Overhaul of Presidential Regime

National Front Calls for Overhaul of Presidential Regime

April 23, 2012

Afghan political party National Front and a US Congressional delegation said the endemic corruption and passiveness of Afghanistan's current government is a result of its governing structure under a "presidential regime".
A joint statement issued by the National Front and a US congressional ...

Dostum to Welcome Molla Omar, Haqani with Flowers if they Renounce Violence

Dostum to Welcome Molla Omar, Haqani with Flowers if they Renounce Violence

April 23, 2012

KABUL - Junbish-i-Milli party leader Abdul Rashid Dostum on Sunday voiced his party's support to the peace negotiations with the Taliban, saying he would welcome Mullah Omar and Sirajuddin Haqqani with flowers if they lay down their weapon and renounce ...

NATO Summit Requires Clarity from Karzai: Senators

NATO Summit  Requires Clarity from Karzai: Senators

April 23, 2012

KABUL - Afghanistan's senators hailed the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago as a great opportunity for the country on Sunday; however, they urged President Hamid Karzai's government to be clear about its agenda.
Some senators have raised concerns about agreeing to a decrease in Afghan security ...

Afghanistan, Poland will Strengthen Ties

Afghanistan, Poland  will Strengthen Ties

April 23, 2012

Afghanistan Foreign Minister Dr. Zalmai Rassoul at a press conference with Radoslaw Sikorski – the Foreign Minister of Poland, on April 20, 2012, said that Poland has great cooperation with Afghanistan and Afghanistan would seek to strengthen ties with Poland in different fields of life. He said, "Our similar experiences throughout our ...

Thousands of Bamyan Students “Homeless”

Thousands of Bamyan  Students “Homeless”

April 23, 2012

BAMYAN CITY - Nearly 2,800 university students in central Bamyan province are suffering without proper lodging and forced to live in deplorable conditions in pricy private rented rooms.
Most Bamyan University students come from poor families and live in dingy old and small rented rooms, while those from affordable ...

Afghan Hearts and Minds, Not Won by West: Karzai

Afghan Hearts and Minds,  Not Won by West: Karzai

April 22, 2012

KABUL - In an interview with CNN, On Saturday, April 21, 2012, Afghan President Hamid Karzai mentioned that the recent attacks on Kabul were because of intelligence failure of both the Afghan and NATO.
Answering to a question in the interview Mr. President said, "Serious intelligence failure, especially an intelligence failure of our allies and NATO and others, because of the equipment that they have, because of the resources that they have, because of the time that they have spent in this part of ...

Recent Attacks Won’t Dampen Mujahidin’s Day: MoD

Recent Attacks  Won’t Dampen Mujahidin’s Day: MoD

April 22, 2012

KABUL - The Ministry of Defense on Saturday said last week's coordinated attacks, unleashed by Taliban insurgents, in Kabul and three eastern provinces would not impact Mujahideen's Victory Day celebration -- which marks Soviet occupation troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Arrangements to ensure tight security had been put in place around ...

Wolesi Jirga Approves Budget

Wolesi Jirga Approves Budget

April 22, 2012

KABUL - A majority of parliamentarians on Saturday approved the proposed budget for the current fiscal year, after it was rejected twice due to inequalities in the provincial allocations.
Previously, the Wolesi Jirga refused to endorse the accounts due to uneven allocations to provinces and a hefty bill of $80 million (3.9 ...

Ušackas Meets Salahuddin Rabbani

Ušackas Meets  Salahuddin Rabbani

April 22, 2012

KABUL - Yesterday, April 21, 2012, EU Special Representative to Afghanistan and Head of Delegation, Ambassador Vygaudas Ušackas called on Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani to congratulate him on his appointment as Chair of the High Peace ...

Chicago Conference Expected to Help ANA: Azimi

Chicago Conference  Expected to Help ANA: Azimi

April 22, 2012

KABUL - spokesperson of the Defense Ministry considered the forthcoming Chicago Conference of NATO leaders start of a new phase for Afghanistan.
The spokesperson General Mohammad Zahir Azimi who was addressing a press conference said at the Chicago NATO leader's conference the ...

WJ Confirms Afghan-India Strategic Cooperation Pact

WJ Confirms Afghan-India  Strategic Cooperation Pact

April 22, 2012

KABUL - At the general session of House of People chaired by its speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, three agreements signed by Afghanistan with foreign countries was debated.
These included strategic cooperation agreement between Afghanistan and India, the cooperation agreement of Afghanistan with Pakistan ...

NATO asks China, Russia to Fund Afghan Forces

NATO asks China, Russia  to Fund Afghan Forces

Saturday April 21, 2012

BRUSSELS - The head of NATO called on China and Russia on Thursday to help fund Afghan security after 2014, as the alliance tries to rally contributions from a wider range of sources before most foreign combat troops pull out of Afghanistan. NATO estimates that the annual cost of maintaining Afghan security forces will be some $4 billion, and the United States is hoping for contributions worth 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) from other NATO allies and partners. But so far only Britain has publicly pledged an actual amount of cash, $110 million a year. "We would welcome financial ...

International Community Deceived Anti-Taliban Constituency: Massoud

International Community Deceived Anti-Taliban Constituency: Massoud

Saturday April 21, 2012

KABUL - Afghanistan National Front chairman Ahmad Zia Massoud on Friday alleged jihadi leaders and forces who resisted the Taliban in Afghanistan had been deceived at the first Bonn conference in 2001. Massoud, who served as first vice-president from 2004 to 2009 during the first elected President Karzi administration, told a huge gathering in Kabul that the people ...

Pakistan Needs to Clamp Down on Haqqanis: Crocker

Pakistan Needs to Clamp  Down on Haqqanis: Crocker

Saturday April 21, 2012

KABUL - The US ambassador to Afghanistan, blaming the Haqqani network for recent brazen attacks in Kabul and other eastern provinces, on Thursday said Pakistan should clamp down on the insurgent safe havens in the lawless tribal region of Miran Shah, the headquarters of north Wazisitan near the Afghan border. The coordinated and near simultaneous attacks were carried ...

Haqqani Based in Afghanistan: Malik

Haqqani Based in Afghanistan: Malik

Saturday April 21, 2012

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan interior minister said that Pakistani government has prevented Haqqani Network from operating on its soil and the group was based in Afghanistan. Rehman Malik, Pakistan's Interior Minister, remarks come days after a series of militant strikes in capital Kabul and three other provinces across Afghanistan on Sunday. After clashes ended between militants ...

Parliament to Revise Decision Over Embezzlement-Accused Minister

Parliament to Revise  Decision Over  Embezzlement-Accused  Minister

Saturday April 21, 2012

KABUL - Afghanistan's Parliament said it will revise its decision to appoint a minister if the accusation of the country's anti-corruption watchdog - that one of the recently appointed minister's is corrupt - proves true. Head of Afghanistan's High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption Azizullah Ludin was summoned by the Upper House on Tuesday to respond to charges ...

Concrete Plans for Post ISAF Afghanistan: NATO

Concrete Plans for Post  ISAF Afghanistan: NATO

Thursday April 19, 2012

BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday he saw an "emerging agreement" among the alliance's members on what role they would play in Afghanistan once that country's forces take charge of security by 2015. Speaking during a meeting of NATO allies in Brussels, Rasmussen said a number of member states had already pledged the size of their financial contributions to help the Afghan government maintain security forces after 2014. concrete financial contributions to Afghan security forces in the future," he told a news conference ...

Regaining Power Through Fight, A False Dream of Taliban: Gen. Dostum

Regaining Power Through Fight,  A False Dream of Taliban: Gen. Dostum

Thursday April 19, 2012

Mazar-e-Shrif - General Abdul Rashid Dustam the leader of Islamic Movement of Afghanistan and member of National Front backs the peace process going on in the country. Addressing among thousands of his supporters in Mazar-e-Shrif city the other day, he called upon Taliban leader Mullah Omar and Haqani ...

Wolesi Jirga Approves Key Accords

Wolesi Jirga  Approves Key Accords

Thursday April 19, 2012

KABUL - Wolesi Jirga (lower house of parliament) on Wednesday approved a strategic partnership deal already signed between Afghanistan and India and another agreement on a multibillion gas pipeline project. The assembly also approved two other pacts, all presented by the parliamentary foreign affairs commission, said the panel head ...

ANA to Take Full Security Responsibility By 2013

ANA to Take Full  Security Responsibility By 2013

Thursday April 19, 2012

KABUL - The Afghan National Army (ANA), whose strength has reached 195,000, will be able to take over security responsibility for the entire country by 2013, a defense ministry official said on Wednesday. Two phases of security transition from foreign soldiers to Afghan forces have been completed, and the third is expected to start soon ...

US Working on Long-Term Pact with Afghanistan

US Working on Long-Term Pact with Afghanistan

Thursday April 19, 2012

WASHINGTON - The United States is working on a framework for a long-term strategic partnership with Afghanistan, the White House said on Tuesday."We are in the process of working with the Afghan government on the framework of our long-term partnership," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told a news conference. ...

Karzai Criticized for Calling Taliban ‘Brothers’

Karzai Criticized for  Calling Taliban ‘Brothers’

Thursday April 19, 2012

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai calling the Taliban 'brothers' has garnered much attention and strong reactions among Afghans, some arguing it will negatively impact the image of Afghanistan. The actions of the Taliban do not merit the term brother, Chairman of the Foundation for Culture and Civil Society (FCCS) Mir Ahmad Joyenda ...

Karzai to Taliban: You did nothing for Islam, Afghanistan

Karzai to Taliban: You did nothing for Islam, Afghanistan

April 18, 2012

ou worked to prolong a foreign presence, you gave foreigners an excuse to stay
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai called the Taliban "brothers" on Tuesday and reached out to them to do more for the good of the country after the insurgents carried out multiple attacks in Kabul and elsewhere at the weekend.
The deadly strikes on parliament, Kabul's diplomatic quarter and three provinces, had only prolonged the foreign presence in Afghanistan reviled by the Taliban, and hurt economic and security confidence ...

HIA for Talks to Bring Peace and Stability

HIA for Talks  to Bring Peace and Stability

April 18, 2012

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with a delegation of the Islamist political party Hezb-i-Islami on Monday afternoon to restart peace talks, just over a fortnight after the group announced it was suspending them.
Ghairat Baheer, the son-in-law of Hezb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin ...

MPs Gave Graft-Tainted Ministers Trust Vote: Lodin

MPs Gave Graft-Tainted  Ministers Trust Vote: Lodin

April 18, 2012

KABUL - High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption (HOOAC) Chairman Azizullah Lodin on Tuesday claimed the Wolesi Jirga had granted vote of confidence to some ministers accused of massive corruption -- an allegation rejected by the legislature.
He levelled the allegation during a speech to the Meshrano Jirga ...