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Britain May Withdraw Troops from Afghanistan Via Tajikistan
March 03, 2012
DUSHANBE - Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and UK Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey discussed on Friday the impending withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, planned for completion by 2014.
Harvey said they discussed using land in Tajikistan as a staging area for British troops and military stores withdrawn from ...
Japan Commits $12.8m for Areas Hosting Afghan Refugees
March 03, 2012
ISLAMABAD - Government of Japan and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Thursday signed an agreement on Japan's contribution of $12.8 million to support the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) Program in areas adjacent to the Peshawar-Torkham ...
ANSF to Handle Security By 2014, Hopes Panetta
March 03, 2012
WASHINGTON - US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday hoped that Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) would be capable enough of handling the security of their country on their own by 2014.
"We have begun to draw down our forces and transition to Afghan-led security responsibility, and we have seen the level of ...
Afghan Forces Face Threat from Within: Official
March 01, 2012
"If we don't deal with infiltration then Afghanistan will suffer. We will lose credibility with NATO and the rest of the international community," said the ministry of defense official.
According to the Pentagon, around 70 members of the NATO force were killed in 42 insider attacks from May 2007 through January 2012.
These attacks have become more frequent as the United States has sent tens of thousands of more soldiers to Afghanistan as part of a surge to fight in Taliban ...
WB Urged to Fund Key Kabul Projects
March 01, 2012
WASHINGTON - Kabul Mayor Mohammad Younis Nawandish has sought help from the World Bank (WB) for key infrastructure projects in the capital city, including housing, road and landfill site.
One big challenge is the development of Kabul City, Nawandish told Pajhwok Afghan News in an interview, during his stay in Washington. Besides meeting World Bank staff, the mayor also held talks with Obama ...
Afghanistan Unable to Take Over Prisons, Night Raids: Khalilzad
March 01, 2012
KABUL - Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmai Khalilzad, told TOLOnews on Wednesday that Afghanistan does not have the necessary ability to take over prisons and responsibility to carry out night raids independently.
Mr Khalilzad warned of lack of confidence about the future in Afghanistan and stressed on the importance of long-term strategic ...
Japan Assists Return and Reintegration of Afghan Refugees
March 01, 2012
KABUL – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warmly welcomes a donation of USD 20 million from the Government of Japan to support the Agency's return and reintegration programs for returnees in Afghanistan.
The Government of Japan signed an agreement confirming its ongoing support to one of UNHCR's largest operations in the world. Whilst the
HIA Opposes Qatar Process, Insists on Open Talks
March 01, 2012
KABUL - The Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), led by former Gulbadin Hekmatyar, on Wednesday opposed covert peace talks between the Taliban and the US, insisting on a key role for the Afghan government in the process.
"The HIA is against the Qatar process, because there are several issues to be discussed. We prefer open talks to secret ...
Economic Committee Discusses Industrial Policy of Afghanistan
March 01, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai chaired a meeting of the Economic committee discussing industrial policy of the country.
Initiated following previous economic meetings at the presidential palace, the meeting initially discussed the industrial policy of the country freshly prepared that envisages seven ...
Violence Won’t Force Afghan Policy Shift: WH
February 29, 2012
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Monday said there was no change in its Afghan strategy due to the current phase of violence and high anti-American sentiment in the country after the alleged desecration of the Quran by US troops.
"We have as an objective to allow Afghanistan and its government the space and time to take over security of the country. That process is well under way," White House (WH) Press Secretary Jay Carney ...
Ist Ever Family Planning Conference in Kabul Begins
February 29, 2012
KABUL - Funded by the government of Iceland, the first-ever national conference on family planning -- bringing together participants from several Muslim countries -- began in Kabul on Tuesday.
Acting Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil, UNFPA Representative Dr. Laurent Zessler, parliamentarians and ...
Insecurity Restricts Access to Needy People in Afghanistan: UNDP
February 29, 2012
KABUL - The situation in Afghanistan has further exacerbated and insecurity has restricted humanitarian workers' access to people in need in Afghanistan, the UNDP Country Director said on Tuesday.
The UNDP Country Director, Manoj Basnyat, made the comments in the sixth ECHO summit held in the Afghan ...
Children in Afghan Cities Facing Challenges: UN
February 29, 2012
KABUL - Many children face severe challenges in urban areas of Afghanistan, a predominantly rural country, UNICEF said in a report on Tuesday.
UNICEF Representative Peter Crowley said: "While internal displacement and migration of families to urban areas are increasing, ...
Taliban Stay Powerful Despite Decade-Long War: Massoud
February 25, 2012
KABUL CITY - A coalition of opposition parties on Thursday said the Taliban, backed by foreign intelligence services, remained powerful despite the decade-long war against them.
Ahmad Zia Massoud, leader of the Afghanistan National Coalition, told a gathering that the insurgents should not be invited to the peace talks until they severed relations with the intelligence networks of foreign countries. The event marked the 32nd anniversary of the ...
Karzai Wants MPs to Vote for His Cabinet Picks
February 25, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai has urged lawmakers to keep national unity in mind while voting on the fate of ministers-designate, an official said on Thursday.
On Feb 15, Karzai introduced some of his Cabinet picks to the Wolesi Jirga for a vote of confidence, but they had been unable to secure the ...
Pakistan Urges Taliban to Take Part in Peace Talks in Afghanistan
February 25, 2012
ISLAMABAD- Pakistani prime minister YousufRazaGilani called on Taliban leaders and other Afghan insurgent groups Thursday to take part in a peace process to end 10 years of war in neighboring Afghanistan.
"I would like to appeal to the Taliban leadership as well as to all other Afghan groups, including Hizb-e-Islami, to participate in an ...
Decision on Koran Burning After Probe: President
February 25, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Thursday told an extraordinary session of Parliament that a decision over the alleged desecration of the Koran would be taken after an investigation into the incident was completed.
Second Deputy Speaker of Wolesi JirgaNimatullahGhafari told Pajhwok Afghan News that members of both houses and the president strongly ...
ISAF Vows Action Over Koran Desecration
February 25, 2012
WASHINGTON - The International Assistance Security Force (ISAF) has vowed to bring to book the troops responsible for the desecration of the Koran.
"ISAF has complete respect for Islam and the reverence in which the Koran is held. We are very serious about making certain if someone ...
Pak Won’t Support Afghan Talks Unless they’re Kabul Backed: Khar
February 23, 2012
KABUL - Pakistan will not support a US-driven initiative to start peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar until the Afghan government fully backs them, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper.
She said that Afghan President Hamid Karzai was still unclear whether his government really wanted to negotiate with the Taliban in Qatar.
The Taliban have recently shown their readiness to negotiate with the ...
US Hails Afghan Leader’s Direct Talks Offer to Rebels
February 23, 2012
WASHINGTON - The United States has welcomed President Hamid Karzai's statement inviting Taliban leaders to enter direct negotiations with his government.
"We have been gratified to see President Karzai speaking out publicly in support of Afghan-to-Afghan reconciliation," a State ...
Afghan Officials Meet Taliban in Pakistan
February 23, 2012
KANDAHAR - Afghan officials are holding talks with the Taliban in Pakistan, the head of a provincial peace council in the insurgency's heartland Kandahar said on Tuesday, in a possible signal that Islamabad is boosting its support for Afghan peace efforts.
Kandahar peace council head Ata Mohammad Ahmadi told Reuters the ...
8 Dead as Anti-US Protests Continue
February 23, 2012
KABUL - At least eight people were killed and 27 others wounded as protests over alleged burning of the Quran by US troops at the Bagram Airbase continued across Afghanistan for a second day on Wednesday, officials and witnesses said.
Six men were killed and a dozen others wounded when an anti-US ...
We Talk to the Taliban Every Day: Karzai
Febraury 22, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai said his government talks to the Taliban every day through intermediaries, according to an interview by Australia's SBS television for broadcast on Tuesday.
Afghan and U.S. officials are seeking negotiations with the Taliban as a way of ensuring peace after foreign combat troops leave in 2014, though the talks lay in a very fragile state and the Islamist group recently rejected they existed at ...
MPs Reject Ministerial Explanations on Budget
Febraury 22, 2012
KABUL - Another four ministers were unable on Tuesday to satisfy Wolesi Jirga members on their failure to spend development funds during the last fiscal year. A day earlier, as many ministers were caught in a similar situation on the issue.
Last week, the lower house unanimously decided to call the 14 ...
Senate Oks Budget, Recommends Cuts
Febraury 22, 2012
KABUL CITY - The Meshrano Jirga, recommending cuts worth more than 12 billion afghanis ($0.24 billion), on Tuesday approved the draft budget for the current fiscal year.
The budget was presented by Finance Minister on Feb. 5, with 134.3 billion afghanis ($2.7 billion) set aside for general budget and 110 ...
Karzai Seeks Pakistan’s Support for Peace Process
Febraury 22, 2012
ISLAMABAD - President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday telephoned Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and sought Islamabad's support for reconciliation talks with the Taliban.
"Karzai underscored Pakistan's importance in the peace process ...
Kabul Renews its Terms for Strategic Pact with US
Febraury 22, 2012
KABUL - The Afghan government on Tuesday listed a halt to nighttime raids and the transfer of coalition-run prisons to its control as key conditions for a strategic cooperation deal with the United States. The reaffirmation of the terms comes two days after Senator John McCain, flanked by four other US lawmakers, told a news ...
Ministers Fail to Satisfy MPs on Budget Spending
Febraury 21, 2012
KABUL The Wolesi Jirga (lower house of Parliament) on Monday rejected answers from four ministers summoned by the house to explain why they could not utilize their last year's budgetary allocations.
Justice Minister Habibullah Ghalib, Refugee Affairs Minister Jamahir Anwari, acting Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Dr. Ali Najafi and Hajj Minister Dr. Yousaf Niazi insisted they had used more than 40 percent of development funds.
A final report on last year's budget says the justice ministry spent ...
People Want Strategic Partnership with US: Karzai
Febraury 21, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai met with the US Senate delegation led by Senator John McCain.
At this meeting held at the presidential palace, both sides discussed the long-terms cooperation of the US with Afghanistan and the training of the Afghan security forces.
The US Senate delegation expressed pleasure over the progress ...
Afghan Security Foundations Need $4b Annually After 2014
Febraury 21, 2012
KABUL - A high-ranking US military general said that the Afghan security foundations need USD4 billion annually after 2014 when the international forces leave this country.
This US general reiterated that in case we the international coalition in struggle against terrorism wants to safeguard our victories in ...
Pakistan Trip Positive, Result-Oriented: Karzai
Febraury 21, 2012
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Monday hailed his recent three-day official visit to Pakistan as an important, unique and result-oriented trip over the past decade.
At a meeting with High Peace Council members, the president said his talks with Pakistan's political leaders and religious figures had been ...
12,500 Students Appear in University Entrance Test
Febraury 21, 2012
KABUL- Up to 12,500 students, 42 percent of them girls, from 40 high schools appeared in the first phase of the university entrance test in Kabul on Monday, an official said.
The test took place simultaneously at Kabul, Medical, Polytechnic and Education Universities, as well as the Loya Jirga tent, Deputy Minister ...
To bring instability or disturb the situation is not difficult
Febraury 20, 2012
ISLAMABAD - Peace efforts in Afghanistan are likely to fail if they do not include all militant groups, a senior member of Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) said on Sunday.
"If any group is isolated or ignored, that group then becomes the center of the resistance, and can cause problems," Ghairat Baheer, of Hizb-i-Islami, told Reuters in Islamabad.
"To bring instability or disturb the situation of Afghanistan is not difficult. It is very easy." Hizb-i-Islami, which means Islamic ...
US, Afghan Strategic Pact Talks Underway: MoFA
Febraury 20, 2012
KABUL - The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Sunday that talks between the US and Afghanistan about a long-term strategic agreement are under way.
"Talks have been resumed in Kabul and are going on nicely," Janan Musazai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently said that he will not sign ...
Karzai’s Pakistan Trip A Success: Spokesman
Febraury 20, 2012
ISLAMABAD - Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed on several issues concerning peace talks with the Taliban, with Kabul insisting the achievements made over the past 10 years must be preserved, a spokesman for President Karzai said on Sunday.
Heading a high-level delegation, Karzai on Thursday travelled to ...