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Afghan, Pakistani Troops Clash Again At Disputed Border
May 6, 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Afghan and Pakistani forces have again exchanged fire in a contested border region, with each side blaming the other for sparking the latest incident as tensions rise along a historically sensitive frontier.
Afghan officials said the May 6 clash took place in the Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar Province, along Pakistan's border.
They said the clash lasted for more than two hours.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry alleged to RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that "the firing [first] came from the other side on Pakistan and our people returned fire."
Chaudhry added: "But the military-to-military contact has been established [now] and we are trying to resolve it."
Kabul blamed Pakistani forces for having "initiated attacks" on border posts.
"This morning around 8:20 a.m. the Pakistani forces in Goshta district, near the Goshta district in Jalalabad...initiated attacks of fire on our border police posts, and in reply the [Afghan] border police give a very rapid response," Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi was quoted by Reuters as saying.
He added that a cease-fire had since been established.
On May 4, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused Islamabad of stirring up trouble on his country's borders to pressure Kabul into formally accepting the Durand Line as the international border with Pakistan. Karzai said Afghanistan "has never accepted" and "will never recognize" the Durand Line.
That disputed border was drawn up by the British in the 19th century.
The Interior Ministry spokesman on May 6 reiterated the Afghan side's determination to defend what Kabul regards as the country's border.
"There is tremendous support, public support, people are behind the Afghan national forces and [the support] is very high," Sediqi said. "The moral is very high and [the police] do their job in the right way and protecting the border is one of the sacred duties of the Afghan National Police Force."
The clash occurred in the same district as a bloody skirmish last week in which Afghan forces destroyed a border gate and checkpoint installed recently by Pakistan near the Durand Line.
One Afghan border policeman was killed in that clash.
Last week's fighting was widely condemned in Afghanistan and prompted protests in Kabul and Nangarhar.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan and Radio Mashaal and by Reuters
Afghanistan summons Pakistani envoy over border firing incidence
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan summoned on Monday the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires and lodged protest over "unprovoked attack" on its forces earlier in the day.
"Director-General of the First Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Azizuddin Ahmadzada, met with the Pakistani Charge d' Affaires in Kabul, Mr. Shah Nazar Afridi, this morning at the Foreign Ministry," the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Mr. Ahmadzada lodged the Afghan government's strong protest with Mr. Afridi about the unprovoked attack by Pakistani forces, who used both heavy and light weapons, against Afghan forces near the Durand Line in Goshta district, Nangarhar province this morning," the statement said, adding the incident, which took place at 8:20 a.m. local time, did not result in any casualties to Afghan forces.
On Wednesday, an Afghan border policeman was killed and three policemen wounded when a clash took place at the same area.
"Mr. Ahmadzada clarified to Mr. Afridi that in the case of Pakistani forces' continued refusal to remove all Pakistani installations in Goshta and other areas and any further unprovoked attacks by Pakistani forces, Pakistan will bear responsibility for any consequences," it said.
Pakistan defends posts construction along Afghan border
ISLAMABAD, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday defended construction of security posts along its border with Afghanistan after Afghan officials reported fresh clashes between the border troops of the two countries.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry said that the posts on Pakistan- Afghanistan border are serving the useful and mutually beneficial purpose of better border management, which is crucial for interdicting cross-border undesirable activity.
Officials of Afghanistan said Pakistani forces have built posts on its side of the border and President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that he had instructed his forces to destroy Pakistani constructions on Afghan soil.
Last week one Afghan soldier was killed and two Pakistani border troops were injured in clashes that heightened tension between the uneasy neighbors.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry reaffirmed the need to use bilateral channels, including military- to-military contacts to resolve the issues relating to posts.
"In several high level interactions in recent past, the leadership of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed on the imperatives of a mechanism for an effective border management for the mutual benefit of the two countries," he said in a statement.
On President Karzai's remarks regarding Pakistani posts on the border, the spokesperson recalled that Pakistani post in Gursal had come under attack from Afghan forces and there had been several threatening and provocative statements made by Afghan leadership in this regard.
Responding to a query regarding President Karzai's remarks that his country will never recognize Durand Line, which divides the two countries, the Pakistani spokesperson said that Durand-line is a settled issue.
"Opening discussions on this issue is a distraction from the more pressing issues requiring the priority attention and cooperation of Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.
Durand Line is a settled issue, says Pakistani officials
By SADAF SHINWARI - 06 May 2013, 1:25 pm Khaama Press
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday announced that the Durand Line issue was settled despite Afghan president Hamid Karzai earlier this week insisted that the Afghan government will never accept the legal status of Durand Line.
According to Pakistan Foreign Office statement carried by Pakistan Today newspaper, “Opening discussions on this issue is a distraction from the more pressing issues requiring the priority attention and cooperation of Pakistan and Afghanistan”.
Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman following the statement insisted that more work and cooperation was need to ensure peace in the region amid president Hamid Karzai’s remarks urging Taliban to “turn and target” and “aim their weapons at” Afghanistan’s enemies.
He also added that Pakistan had positively responded to president Hamid Karzai’s call in the past to use its influence on the Taliban group to enter peace talks.
Pakistan would continue its support for the Afghan reconciliation process, rather than focusing on the negatives, Foreign Office spokesman added.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to assist in all sincerity to peace and sustainable economic development in Afghanistan, which we believe is in the vital interest of Pakistan and our region,” he said.
Pakistani Border Forces Suffer Casualties in Clash with Afghans: Officials
TOLOnews.com 06 May 2013
The Afghan and Pakistani forces have resumed clashes in Ghosta district of eastern Nangarhar province early Monday, inflicting heavy casualties on Pakistani forces, local Afghan officials said.
The clashes broke out today morning about 08:00am, when the Pakistani military forces tried to rebuild the gate of the check-post in Goshta district of Nangarhar, the provincial governor spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said.
The clashes ended at about 10:30am and there were no Afghan border police casualties, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said.
He said that the Afghan officials had officially asked the Pakistan government to stop the building of the military check-posts in Gostha district of the province.
“We have already asked Pakistan to stop the building of the military check-posts and we had also summoned the Pakistani Consular officials. But they did not care and started the building of the gates in the district again [today],” Abdulzai said.
“The Afghan forces reacted to the move of the Pakistani military and clashes broke out,” he said.
More Afghan security forces have been deployed in the area and they are put on alert, he added.
Meanwhile, the Afghan border officials said that at least 30 Pakistani forces were killed or wounded in the clashes. There are no exact figures of how many Pakistani forces were killed and how many got wounded.
The Afghan forces have destroyed a Pakistani military tank and removed two of Pakistani check-posts during the clashes in which both sides used heavy weapons, the Afghan commanders said.
The Pakistan government has not yet commented about today’s clashes. The clashes between the Afghan and Pakistani military forces had also taken place last Wednesday over building of the check-posts in Ghosta district of eastern Nangarhar province. At least one Afghan border police was killed in the incident.
Two Pakistani soldiers were also wounded in the exchange of fire.
Earlier this week, the Afghan Interior Minister Mojtaba Patang warned that Pakistan will face military reaction “if it tries to rebuild military installations in border areas.”
He said that Afghanistan owns modern equipment for defending border areas. Mr Patang stressed that until foreign hands continue to work in Afghanistan, the country will never reach lasting stability, the Interior Minister said.
The building of the Pakistani military check-posts in the Afghan border areas has deteriorated relationship between the two countries as both sides’ border forces engaged on Wednesday night in Ghoshta district of eastern Nangarhar province, but finally Afghan border police succeeded to clear Pakistani installations from Afghanistan’s soil, according to officials.
Meanwhile, the Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday said that Afghanistan has never recognised the Durand Line.Speaking at a press conference in Kabul after the recent border clashes between the Afghan and Pakistani forces, President Karzai said Pakistani military installations across the Durand Line in the Afghan territory was a “futile attempt” to push Kabul to discuss the border issue with Islamabad, something President Karzai said his government “will never be ready for it.”
"They [the Afghan people] should stand with this young man who was martyred in defending his soil,” Karzai said, referring to the Afghan border policeman, Mohammad Qasim, who was killed Wednesday night in a border gunfire with Pakistani forces.
The Afghan president praised a nation-wide reaction of the Afghan people in encouraging their armed forces to defend their country, calling on the Taliban to “turn their weapons against the enemies of their properties.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan have had strained relations since Pakistan was formed in 1947, at the end of British colonial rule over India.
Afghan-Pakistani border issue could be solved via trilateral meeting
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The recent issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the border could be solved via regular meetings of tripartite commission of Afghanistan, Pakistan and ISAF, an ISAF spokesman said on Monday.
"If anything happened in border region we meet in this so- called tri-partite commission on the regular bases on different levels and in these meetings we discuss what was going on. What was the assessment of the Afghan side and what was the assessment of the Pakistani side. So we exchange views we assess the situation that how we can together deescalate and how we can together improve the security situation in the border area," the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman, Brigadier General Gunter Katz, told a weekly press briefing here.
He made the comment in the wake of the recent border clashes between the two neighboring countries.
However, Katz said the ISAF forces were not involved in the recent clashes.
"We have a clear mandate that clearly states that we are here to ensure Afghanistan will never be a safe haven for terrorists and we are to provide security and stability in Afghanistan," the spokesman went on to say.
"The Tripartite Commission, the United Nations Security Council, etc, are the ways diplomatically that any issues between two sovereign countries should be dealt with. No one wants to see any escalation or inflammation of any situation. And that is the natural way for this to proceed," NATO civilian spokesman Dominic Medley said at the same briefing.
The comments came as the border forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan once again clashed in Goshta district of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar earlier in the day, according to local media.
The skirmish took place Monday morning after the attempt of Pakistani forces to rebuild their posts in Goshta district.
In their previous clash which happened on Wednesday, an Afghan border policeman was killed and three others sustained injuries, according to Afghan officials.
Political Parties Criticise Karzai’s Durand Remarks
TOLOnews.com By Saleha Soadat 05 May 2013
A number of Afghan coalition leaders and members of political parties on Monday criticised President Karzai’s recent remarks on Durand Line and calling it an attempt to increase public support in the elections.
These political parties said that President Karzai wants to make himself a hero with such slogans now that little time is left of his presidential term and that the presidential election is also ahead.
Political parties and political coalitions expressed surprise at why President Karzai was silent in the past eleven years and they said that such speeches only have advertising aspects and with such slogans problems of Durand Line will not be solved.
A leading member of Afghanistan National Front Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq said that Pakistan in the last ten years had constructed military border check posts and military installations in Afghan territory, and criticised why Karzai was silent so far.
“These remarks more seem like fables. If president Karzai wanted to work to clarify this event, he should have worked in the past ten years,” Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq told TOLOnews.
These party members called Karzai’s recent speeches demagogy and added that in recent eleven years, he has not done anything about the issue but even four years ago he impeded negotiations for Durand in Jirg-e Amn.
“By benefiting from such national issues, the President wants to stir people's emotions in his own interest in the election,” Ahmad Zia Masoud leader of Afghanistan National Front told TOLOnews.
“Durand Line issue will not be solved with such slogans. There must be diplomatic talks between both countries,” Fazil Sancharaki National Coalition spokesman said.
“President Karzai must find a rational and fundamental solution for this problem and this problem had to be solved 11 years ago. Now such speeches are useless,” Moien Marastyal member of Rights and Justice party said.
“I think President Karzi can talk about this issue, well he is the president and he has the right to talk about it,”Parliament’s First Vice speaker Mirwais Yasini said.
Meanwhile, some residents of Kabul city expressed different views about the Durand Line.
“Although these parts belong to Afghanistan, but I think now it is not the time to raise this issue,” a Kabul resident told TOLOnews.
It is said that ten years ago, Pakistan with the help of coalition forces moved their 11 outposts and utilities from their pervious locations to Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar province alongside the Durand line.
A leading member of Afghanistan National Front Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, also alleged that Pakistan had even distributed Pakistani identity cards to the border residents.
The comments come after President Karzai on Saturday said that Afghanistan had never recognised the Durand Line, a remark made during a speech about the recent border clash between the Afghan and Pakistani border forces in which at least one Afghan soldier was killed.
Bomb Targets Islamist Party Rally in Pakistan
VOA News May 6, 2013
Pakistani officials say a bomb blast has killed at least 15 people and wounded 45 others at an election campaign rally for a pro-Taliban party in the country's northwestern tribal belt, near the Afghan border.
Authorities said Monday the explosion occurred near the main stage of a rally for the right-wing Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam, a religious party in the outgoing government coalition in Kurram, one of the seven districts making up Pakistan's tribal belt.
Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam is considered supportive of the Afghan Taliban's fight against the United States and its allies. It is also sympathetic to the Pakistani Taliban.
The Taliban have in recent weeks attacked secular Pakistani parties. Elections are to be held on May 11.
Kurram is frequently the scene of sectarian violence between Pakistan's Sunni Muslim majority and the Shi'ite minority.
WB provides 100 mln USD to help Afghan health sector
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) on Monday provided a grant of 100 million U.S. dollars to the Afghan government to help improve the health sector in the war-hit country, said a statement of WB issued here.
"A 100-million-U.S.-dollar Grant, to finance the Afghanistan System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition (SEHAT) Program, was signed today between the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank," the statement said.
"The encouraging achievements in the health sector over the past decade were possible because of the (Afghan) Ministry of Public Health's commitment to improving health services and measuring service delivery performance with assistance from its partner NGOs," WB Acting Country Director Illango Patchamuthu said in the statement.
This new program will help ensure expansion of basic health and hospital services for both urban and rural areas where due to lack of such services thousands of people, particularly women and children, lose their lives every year. "We believe these packages of health services we finance play a vital role in improving the health of Afghans," he added.
"Provision of health care to its people remains one of the main priorities of the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan during the transition," said Afghan Minister of Finance Omar Zakhailwal in a statement.
"The World Bank's support has been instrumental in enabling us to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, particularly women and children," Afghan Pulic Health Minister Suraya Dalil said, adding "Providing a basic package of health services and an essential package of hospital services has proved to produce encouraging results, particularly in remote and underserved areas. As we continue to deliver our commitment in expanding provision of health services to all Afghans across the country, we appreciate the World Bank's assistance at this crucial period of the transition process,"
The Afghan health ministry will implement SEHAT program over a period of five years, the statement said.
Survey Reveals Little Change in Afghan Social Attitudes Despite Western Presence
Time By John Wendle May 06, 2013
After a decade of war in Afghanistan, the West’s massive military and aid presence has seemingly done little more than harden — or leave unchanged — social attitudes toward a slate of hot-button issues ranging from the implementation of Shari‘a and democracy, to honor killings and corruption, concludes a Pew report on religious issues.
Some 99% of the 1,509 respondents surveyed face to face by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life said they would want Shari‘a to be “the official law of the land,” reads the report, The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society, released at the end of April. This figure compares with 84% in Pakistan.
The findings could anticipate the path the country will take after the U.S. and NATO withdraw a majority of their conventional troops after 2014, as well as call into question statements by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and NATO that people are enjoying more freedoms and benefits today than they did under the Taliban. The results are also no surprise to some, as people have become more and more distrustful of the government because of massive levels of corruption and ongoing instability and violence.
Though the poll does not draw conclusions from the data, trends are easy to see. Politically, the poll shows that 53% of Afghans believe religious leaders should play a “large” role in politics, while 84% think it is a bad thing that their laws do not follow Shari‘a. These figures are remarkable when put into broader context: the Pew poll states that, “with the notable exception of Afghanistan, fewer than half of Muslims in any country surveyed say religious leaders should have a large influence in politics.”
At the same time, Afghan respondents were more ambivalent about politics in general in their country. When asked if they would prefer a powerful leader to a democracy, 51% said they would rather have a powerful leader, while 45% said they preferred a democracy. Furthermore, 54% of Afghans believe Islamic parties are better than political parties, while 19% say they are worse, and 22% say there is no difference. The numbers, after more than a decade of democratization efforts — and with a presidential election looming next year at the same time as a major U.S. military withdrawal — do not instill much confidence in claims that the U.S. and NATO have helped bring about significant change in political attitudes in the country.
Aside from politics, the poll also looked at many social conventions. Many of the questions revolved around the treatment of women in society, with 94% of respondents believing that “a wife is always obliged to obey her husband.” And, while 24% of Afghans believe honor killings are never acceptable, 60% of those questioned said honor killings of women are “often or sometimes justified,” while 59% said the same about executing men who have allegedly engaged in pre- or extramarital sex.
Indeed, just nine days before the report was released, a mother of two was shot to death by her father in front of 300 villagers in Badghis province for allegedly running away with a male cousin while her husband was working in Iran. “Violence against women continues to be endemic in Afghanistan, and those responsible very rarely face justice,” said Horia Mosadiq, Afghanistan researcher at Amnesty International. “Not only do women face violence at the hands of family members for reasons of preserving so-called honor, but frequently women face human-rights abuses resulting from verdicts issued by traditional, informal justice systems,” said Mosadiq. “These systems must be reformed, and the police must prevent such verdicts being carried out.”
India builds National Institute of Mining in Afghanistan
By MEENA HASEEB - 06 May 2013, 9:00 am Khaama Press
A delegation of the Indian government officials during their meeting with the Afghan president Hamid Karzai agreed to construct a national institute of mining in Afghanistan.
The officials during their meeting with president Karzai also discussed India’s cooperation in mining exploration and other related issues.
A statement released by presidential palace media office said, the construction of national institute of mining is part of India’s reconstruction fund to Afghanistan.
In the meantime Indian ambassador to Afghanistan has said that the construction work of the mining institute will be launched in the near future.
The construction of national institute of mining was proposed by Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh during his last visit to Afghanistan.
Afghan presidnential palace following its statemetn also added that Subramaniam Ramadorai, Chief of the TATA Transporation Company and Adviser to the Prime Minister of India in the National Council on Skill Development expressed his interest in investing in natural resources of Afghanistan.
President Karzai also vowed provide necessary facilities for the investment of India in Afghanistan.
Senior Taliban Leader Arrested in Afghan Operation
TOLOnews.com 06 May 2013
A Taliban senior leader and an insurgent were arrested in a joint Afghan and Nato troops operation in eastern Nangarhar province early Monday, Isaf said.
“An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Taliban leader and one other insurgent during an operation in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province, today,” Isaf said in a statement.
The leader is responsible for a wide range of insurgent activities in Khugyani district. He has planned and directed assassinations against government officials, conducted multiple attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces, and has facilitated the movement of money, weapons and insurgent fighters throughout the local area, it said.
The statement also said that Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the arrest of a senior insurgent leader with ties to both the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan during an operation in Burkah district, Baghlan province, yesterday.
The leader has operational control over a group of fighters responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
It comes as eight other insurgents were killed in separate joint operations in the country. The Isaf statement said that two Taliban facilitators were also captured in joint operations.
The first Taliban facilitator and one other insurgent were arrested during an operation in Maiwand district of Kandahar province, today.
The facilitator is responsible for providing weapons and fighters to multiple insurgent groups in the local area. He has a history of distributing IEDs, grenades, machineguns, ammunition and other military supplies for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
Another Taliban facilitator and four other insurgents were arrested during an operation in Nawah-ye Barakzai district of southern Helmand province, today. The facilitator has a history of distributing IEDs to various insurgent cells throughout Helmand province. He has also participated in multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
Isaf also confirmed the death of two Taliban leaders in separate operations of the joint forces.
“Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the death of Taliban leader, Shafiq, during an operation in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, Wednesday,” the Isaf statement said.
Shafiq, also known as Khan, was responsible for numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Kandahar province. He and his subordinates were involved in IED operations.
The second Taliban leader, Mazloom was killed during an operation in Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province, April 25. Mazloom was involved in IED operations and direct fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
He was also responsible for kidnapping an Afghan National Security Force soldier, training subordinate insurgent fighters and coordinating the movement of ammunition and weapons to Taliban forces.
Rise of Dollar Value In Afghan Markets
TOLOnews.com By Zabiuulah Jahanmal 06 May 2013
Increase of Dollar demand, decrease of foreign forces' expenses and increase in imports has caused rise of dollar value against Afghan currency, the Central Bank said.
The Central Bank said that the structure of demand and supply of currency market specifies the value of Afghani against foreign currencies. This structure has caused decrease of Afghani value against US dollar in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Afghans are concerned over value decrease of Afghani and rise of prices in markets.
The Central Bank of Afghanistan since many years has on a weekly basis supplied 50 million dollars to the market on average and until a few weeks ago had frequently maintained the value of dollar between 48 to 51 Afghani. But in recent weeks the value of Afghani has decreased against the dollar and every dollar has reached to 56 Afghani.
Right now the Central Bank calls effective structure of demand and supply on value decrease of Afghani.
Khan Afzal Idewal deputy of the central bank says “our money value stability depends on our imports and exports, meanwhile currently we 90% depend on the exports. How can we solve this problem?”
From the other hand, a number of sellers call dollar’s role effective on marketplace.
The officials of the central bank say that this bank right now is able to maintain value of the Afghani with supplying of more dollars into the market but it is better that the structure of demand and supply brings balance into marketplace.
www.afghanistannewscenter.com
May 6, 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Afghan and Pakistani forces have again exchanged fire in a contested border region, with each side blaming the other for sparking the latest incident as tensions rise along a historically sensitive frontier.
Afghan officials said the May 6 clash took place in the Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar Province, along Pakistan's border.
They said the clash lasted for more than two hours.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry alleged to RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that "the firing [first] came from the other side on Pakistan and our people returned fire."
Chaudhry added: "But the military-to-military contact has been established [now] and we are trying to resolve it."
Kabul blamed Pakistani forces for having "initiated attacks" on border posts.
"This morning around 8:20 a.m. the Pakistani forces in Goshta district, near the Goshta district in Jalalabad...initiated attacks of fire on our border police posts, and in reply the [Afghan] border police give a very rapid response," Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi was quoted by Reuters as saying.
He added that a cease-fire had since been established.
On May 4, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused Islamabad of stirring up trouble on his country's borders to pressure Kabul into formally accepting the Durand Line as the international border with Pakistan. Karzai said Afghanistan "has never accepted" and "will never recognize" the Durand Line.
That disputed border was drawn up by the British in the 19th century.
The Interior Ministry spokesman on May 6 reiterated the Afghan side's determination to defend what Kabul regards as the country's border.
"There is tremendous support, public support, people are behind the Afghan national forces and [the support] is very high," Sediqi said. "The moral is very high and [the police] do their job in the right way and protecting the border is one of the sacred duties of the Afghan National Police Force."
The clash occurred in the same district as a bloody skirmish last week in which Afghan forces destroyed a border gate and checkpoint installed recently by Pakistan near the Durand Line.
One Afghan border policeman was killed in that clash.
Last week's fighting was widely condemned in Afghanistan and prompted protests in Kabul and Nangarhar.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan and Radio Mashaal and by Reuters
Afghanistan summons Pakistani envoy over border firing incidence
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan summoned on Monday the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires and lodged protest over "unprovoked attack" on its forces earlier in the day.
"Director-General of the First Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Azizuddin Ahmadzada, met with the Pakistani Charge d' Affaires in Kabul, Mr. Shah Nazar Afridi, this morning at the Foreign Ministry," the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Mr. Ahmadzada lodged the Afghan government's strong protest with Mr. Afridi about the unprovoked attack by Pakistani forces, who used both heavy and light weapons, against Afghan forces near the Durand Line in Goshta district, Nangarhar province this morning," the statement said, adding the incident, which took place at 8:20 a.m. local time, did not result in any casualties to Afghan forces.
On Wednesday, an Afghan border policeman was killed and three policemen wounded when a clash took place at the same area.
"Mr. Ahmadzada clarified to Mr. Afridi that in the case of Pakistani forces' continued refusal to remove all Pakistani installations in Goshta and other areas and any further unprovoked attacks by Pakistani forces, Pakistan will bear responsibility for any consequences," it said.
Pakistan defends posts construction along Afghan border
ISLAMABAD, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday defended construction of security posts along its border with Afghanistan after Afghan officials reported fresh clashes between the border troops of the two countries.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry said that the posts on Pakistan- Afghanistan border are serving the useful and mutually beneficial purpose of better border management, which is crucial for interdicting cross-border undesirable activity.
Officials of Afghanistan said Pakistani forces have built posts on its side of the border and President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that he had instructed his forces to destroy Pakistani constructions on Afghan soil.
Last week one Afghan soldier was killed and two Pakistani border troops were injured in clashes that heightened tension between the uneasy neighbors.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry reaffirmed the need to use bilateral channels, including military- to-military contacts to resolve the issues relating to posts.
"In several high level interactions in recent past, the leadership of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed on the imperatives of a mechanism for an effective border management for the mutual benefit of the two countries," he said in a statement.
On President Karzai's remarks regarding Pakistani posts on the border, the spokesperson recalled that Pakistani post in Gursal had come under attack from Afghan forces and there had been several threatening and provocative statements made by Afghan leadership in this regard.
Responding to a query regarding President Karzai's remarks that his country will never recognize Durand Line, which divides the two countries, the Pakistani spokesperson said that Durand-line is a settled issue.
"Opening discussions on this issue is a distraction from the more pressing issues requiring the priority attention and cooperation of Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.
Durand Line is a settled issue, says Pakistani officials
By SADAF SHINWARI - 06 May 2013, 1:25 pm Khaama Press
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday announced that the Durand Line issue was settled despite Afghan president Hamid Karzai earlier this week insisted that the Afghan government will never accept the legal status of Durand Line.
According to Pakistan Foreign Office statement carried by Pakistan Today newspaper, “Opening discussions on this issue is a distraction from the more pressing issues requiring the priority attention and cooperation of Pakistan and Afghanistan”.
Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman following the statement insisted that more work and cooperation was need to ensure peace in the region amid president Hamid Karzai’s remarks urging Taliban to “turn and target” and “aim their weapons at” Afghanistan’s enemies.
He also added that Pakistan had positively responded to president Hamid Karzai’s call in the past to use its influence on the Taliban group to enter peace talks.
Pakistan would continue its support for the Afghan reconciliation process, rather than focusing on the negatives, Foreign Office spokesman added.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to assist in all sincerity to peace and sustainable economic development in Afghanistan, which we believe is in the vital interest of Pakistan and our region,” he said.
Pakistani Border Forces Suffer Casualties in Clash with Afghans: Officials
TOLOnews.com 06 May 2013
The Afghan and Pakistani forces have resumed clashes in Ghosta district of eastern Nangarhar province early Monday, inflicting heavy casualties on Pakistani forces, local Afghan officials said.
The clashes broke out today morning about 08:00am, when the Pakistani military forces tried to rebuild the gate of the check-post in Goshta district of Nangarhar, the provincial governor spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said.
The clashes ended at about 10:30am and there were no Afghan border police casualties, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai said.
He said that the Afghan officials had officially asked the Pakistan government to stop the building of the military check-posts in Gostha district of the province.
“We have already asked Pakistan to stop the building of the military check-posts and we had also summoned the Pakistani Consular officials. But they did not care and started the building of the gates in the district again [today],” Abdulzai said.
“The Afghan forces reacted to the move of the Pakistani military and clashes broke out,” he said.
More Afghan security forces have been deployed in the area and they are put on alert, he added.
Meanwhile, the Afghan border officials said that at least 30 Pakistani forces were killed or wounded in the clashes. There are no exact figures of how many Pakistani forces were killed and how many got wounded.
The Afghan forces have destroyed a Pakistani military tank and removed two of Pakistani check-posts during the clashes in which both sides used heavy weapons, the Afghan commanders said.
The Pakistan government has not yet commented about today’s clashes. The clashes between the Afghan and Pakistani military forces had also taken place last Wednesday over building of the check-posts in Ghosta district of eastern Nangarhar province. At least one Afghan border police was killed in the incident.
Two Pakistani soldiers were also wounded in the exchange of fire.
Earlier this week, the Afghan Interior Minister Mojtaba Patang warned that Pakistan will face military reaction “if it tries to rebuild military installations in border areas.”
He said that Afghanistan owns modern equipment for defending border areas. Mr Patang stressed that until foreign hands continue to work in Afghanistan, the country will never reach lasting stability, the Interior Minister said.
The building of the Pakistani military check-posts in the Afghan border areas has deteriorated relationship between the two countries as both sides’ border forces engaged on Wednesday night in Ghoshta district of eastern Nangarhar province, but finally Afghan border police succeeded to clear Pakistani installations from Afghanistan’s soil, according to officials.
Meanwhile, the Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday said that Afghanistan has never recognised the Durand Line.Speaking at a press conference in Kabul after the recent border clashes between the Afghan and Pakistani forces, President Karzai said Pakistani military installations across the Durand Line in the Afghan territory was a “futile attempt” to push Kabul to discuss the border issue with Islamabad, something President Karzai said his government “will never be ready for it.”
"They [the Afghan people] should stand with this young man who was martyred in defending his soil,” Karzai said, referring to the Afghan border policeman, Mohammad Qasim, who was killed Wednesday night in a border gunfire with Pakistani forces.
The Afghan president praised a nation-wide reaction of the Afghan people in encouraging their armed forces to defend their country, calling on the Taliban to “turn their weapons against the enemies of their properties.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan have had strained relations since Pakistan was formed in 1947, at the end of British colonial rule over India.
Afghan-Pakistani border issue could be solved via trilateral meeting
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The recent issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the border could be solved via regular meetings of tripartite commission of Afghanistan, Pakistan and ISAF, an ISAF spokesman said on Monday.
"If anything happened in border region we meet in this so- called tri-partite commission on the regular bases on different levels and in these meetings we discuss what was going on. What was the assessment of the Afghan side and what was the assessment of the Pakistani side. So we exchange views we assess the situation that how we can together deescalate and how we can together improve the security situation in the border area," the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman, Brigadier General Gunter Katz, told a weekly press briefing here.
He made the comment in the wake of the recent border clashes between the two neighboring countries.
However, Katz said the ISAF forces were not involved in the recent clashes.
"We have a clear mandate that clearly states that we are here to ensure Afghanistan will never be a safe haven for terrorists and we are to provide security and stability in Afghanistan," the spokesman went on to say.
"The Tripartite Commission, the United Nations Security Council, etc, are the ways diplomatically that any issues between two sovereign countries should be dealt with. No one wants to see any escalation or inflammation of any situation. And that is the natural way for this to proceed," NATO civilian spokesman Dominic Medley said at the same briefing.
The comments came as the border forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan once again clashed in Goshta district of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar earlier in the day, according to local media.
The skirmish took place Monday morning after the attempt of Pakistani forces to rebuild their posts in Goshta district.
In their previous clash which happened on Wednesday, an Afghan border policeman was killed and three others sustained injuries, according to Afghan officials.
Political Parties Criticise Karzai’s Durand Remarks
TOLOnews.com By Saleha Soadat 05 May 2013
A number of Afghan coalition leaders and members of political parties on Monday criticised President Karzai’s recent remarks on Durand Line and calling it an attempt to increase public support in the elections.
These political parties said that President Karzai wants to make himself a hero with such slogans now that little time is left of his presidential term and that the presidential election is also ahead.
Political parties and political coalitions expressed surprise at why President Karzai was silent in the past eleven years and they said that such speeches only have advertising aspects and with such slogans problems of Durand Line will not be solved.
A leading member of Afghanistan National Front Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq said that Pakistan in the last ten years had constructed military border check posts and military installations in Afghan territory, and criticised why Karzai was silent so far.
“These remarks more seem like fables. If president Karzai wanted to work to clarify this event, he should have worked in the past ten years,” Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq told TOLOnews.
These party members called Karzai’s recent speeches demagogy and added that in recent eleven years, he has not done anything about the issue but even four years ago he impeded negotiations for Durand in Jirg-e Amn.
“By benefiting from such national issues, the President wants to stir people's emotions in his own interest in the election,” Ahmad Zia Masoud leader of Afghanistan National Front told TOLOnews.
“Durand Line issue will not be solved with such slogans. There must be diplomatic talks between both countries,” Fazil Sancharaki National Coalition spokesman said.
“President Karzai must find a rational and fundamental solution for this problem and this problem had to be solved 11 years ago. Now such speeches are useless,” Moien Marastyal member of Rights and Justice party said.
“I think President Karzi can talk about this issue, well he is the president and he has the right to talk about it,”Parliament’s First Vice speaker Mirwais Yasini said.
Meanwhile, some residents of Kabul city expressed different views about the Durand Line.
“Although these parts belong to Afghanistan, but I think now it is not the time to raise this issue,” a Kabul resident told TOLOnews.
It is said that ten years ago, Pakistan with the help of coalition forces moved their 11 outposts and utilities from their pervious locations to Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar province alongside the Durand line.
A leading member of Afghanistan National Front Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, also alleged that Pakistan had even distributed Pakistani identity cards to the border residents.
The comments come after President Karzai on Saturday said that Afghanistan had never recognised the Durand Line, a remark made during a speech about the recent border clash between the Afghan and Pakistani border forces in which at least one Afghan soldier was killed.
Bomb Targets Islamist Party Rally in Pakistan
VOA News May 6, 2013
Pakistani officials say a bomb blast has killed at least 15 people and wounded 45 others at an election campaign rally for a pro-Taliban party in the country's northwestern tribal belt, near the Afghan border.
Authorities said Monday the explosion occurred near the main stage of a rally for the right-wing Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam, a religious party in the outgoing government coalition in Kurram, one of the seven districts making up Pakistan's tribal belt.
Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam is considered supportive of the Afghan Taliban's fight against the United States and its allies. It is also sympathetic to the Pakistani Taliban.
The Taliban have in recent weeks attacked secular Pakistani parties. Elections are to be held on May 11.
Kurram is frequently the scene of sectarian violence between Pakistan's Sunni Muslim majority and the Shi'ite minority.
WB provides 100 mln USD to help Afghan health sector
KABUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) on Monday provided a grant of 100 million U.S. dollars to the Afghan government to help improve the health sector in the war-hit country, said a statement of WB issued here.
"A 100-million-U.S.-dollar Grant, to finance the Afghanistan System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition (SEHAT) Program, was signed today between the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank," the statement said.
"The encouraging achievements in the health sector over the past decade were possible because of the (Afghan) Ministry of Public Health's commitment to improving health services and measuring service delivery performance with assistance from its partner NGOs," WB Acting Country Director Illango Patchamuthu said in the statement.
This new program will help ensure expansion of basic health and hospital services for both urban and rural areas where due to lack of such services thousands of people, particularly women and children, lose their lives every year. "We believe these packages of health services we finance play a vital role in improving the health of Afghans," he added.
"Provision of health care to its people remains one of the main priorities of the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan during the transition," said Afghan Minister of Finance Omar Zakhailwal in a statement.
"The World Bank's support has been instrumental in enabling us to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, particularly women and children," Afghan Pulic Health Minister Suraya Dalil said, adding "Providing a basic package of health services and an essential package of hospital services has proved to produce encouraging results, particularly in remote and underserved areas. As we continue to deliver our commitment in expanding provision of health services to all Afghans across the country, we appreciate the World Bank's assistance at this crucial period of the transition process,"
The Afghan health ministry will implement SEHAT program over a period of five years, the statement said.
Survey Reveals Little Change in Afghan Social Attitudes Despite Western Presence
Time By John Wendle May 06, 2013
After a decade of war in Afghanistan, the West’s massive military and aid presence has seemingly done little more than harden — or leave unchanged — social attitudes toward a slate of hot-button issues ranging from the implementation of Shari‘a and democracy, to honor killings and corruption, concludes a Pew report on religious issues.
Some 99% of the 1,509 respondents surveyed face to face by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life said they would want Shari‘a to be “the official law of the land,” reads the report, The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society, released at the end of April. This figure compares with 84% in Pakistan.
The findings could anticipate the path the country will take after the U.S. and NATO withdraw a majority of their conventional troops after 2014, as well as call into question statements by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and NATO that people are enjoying more freedoms and benefits today than they did under the Taliban. The results are also no surprise to some, as people have become more and more distrustful of the government because of massive levels of corruption and ongoing instability and violence.
Though the poll does not draw conclusions from the data, trends are easy to see. Politically, the poll shows that 53% of Afghans believe religious leaders should play a “large” role in politics, while 84% think it is a bad thing that their laws do not follow Shari‘a. These figures are remarkable when put into broader context: the Pew poll states that, “with the notable exception of Afghanistan, fewer than half of Muslims in any country surveyed say religious leaders should have a large influence in politics.”
At the same time, Afghan respondents were more ambivalent about politics in general in their country. When asked if they would prefer a powerful leader to a democracy, 51% said they would rather have a powerful leader, while 45% said they preferred a democracy. Furthermore, 54% of Afghans believe Islamic parties are better than political parties, while 19% say they are worse, and 22% say there is no difference. The numbers, after more than a decade of democratization efforts — and with a presidential election looming next year at the same time as a major U.S. military withdrawal — do not instill much confidence in claims that the U.S. and NATO have helped bring about significant change in political attitudes in the country.
Aside from politics, the poll also looked at many social conventions. Many of the questions revolved around the treatment of women in society, with 94% of respondents believing that “a wife is always obliged to obey her husband.” And, while 24% of Afghans believe honor killings are never acceptable, 60% of those questioned said honor killings of women are “often or sometimes justified,” while 59% said the same about executing men who have allegedly engaged in pre- or extramarital sex.
Indeed, just nine days before the report was released, a mother of two was shot to death by her father in front of 300 villagers in Badghis province for allegedly running away with a male cousin while her husband was working in Iran. “Violence against women continues to be endemic in Afghanistan, and those responsible very rarely face justice,” said Horia Mosadiq, Afghanistan researcher at Amnesty International. “Not only do women face violence at the hands of family members for reasons of preserving so-called honor, but frequently women face human-rights abuses resulting from verdicts issued by traditional, informal justice systems,” said Mosadiq. “These systems must be reformed, and the police must prevent such verdicts being carried out.”
India builds National Institute of Mining in Afghanistan
By MEENA HASEEB - 06 May 2013, 9:00 am Khaama Press
A delegation of the Indian government officials during their meeting with the Afghan president Hamid Karzai agreed to construct a national institute of mining in Afghanistan.
The officials during their meeting with president Karzai also discussed India’s cooperation in mining exploration and other related issues.
A statement released by presidential palace media office said, the construction of national institute of mining is part of India’s reconstruction fund to Afghanistan.
In the meantime Indian ambassador to Afghanistan has said that the construction work of the mining institute will be launched in the near future.
The construction of national institute of mining was proposed by Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh during his last visit to Afghanistan.
Afghan presidnential palace following its statemetn also added that Subramaniam Ramadorai, Chief of the TATA Transporation Company and Adviser to the Prime Minister of India in the National Council on Skill Development expressed his interest in investing in natural resources of Afghanistan.
President Karzai also vowed provide necessary facilities for the investment of India in Afghanistan.
Senior Taliban Leader Arrested in Afghan Operation
TOLOnews.com 06 May 2013
A Taliban senior leader and an insurgent were arrested in a joint Afghan and Nato troops operation in eastern Nangarhar province early Monday, Isaf said.
“An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Taliban leader and one other insurgent during an operation in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province, today,” Isaf said in a statement.
The leader is responsible for a wide range of insurgent activities in Khugyani district. He has planned and directed assassinations against government officials, conducted multiple attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces, and has facilitated the movement of money, weapons and insurgent fighters throughout the local area, it said.
The statement also said that Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the arrest of a senior insurgent leader with ties to both the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan during an operation in Burkah district, Baghlan province, yesterday.
The leader has operational control over a group of fighters responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
It comes as eight other insurgents were killed in separate joint operations in the country. The Isaf statement said that two Taliban facilitators were also captured in joint operations.
The first Taliban facilitator and one other insurgent were arrested during an operation in Maiwand district of Kandahar province, today.
The facilitator is responsible for providing weapons and fighters to multiple insurgent groups in the local area. He has a history of distributing IEDs, grenades, machineguns, ammunition and other military supplies for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
Another Taliban facilitator and four other insurgents were arrested during an operation in Nawah-ye Barakzai district of southern Helmand province, today. The facilitator has a history of distributing IEDs to various insurgent cells throughout Helmand province. He has also participated in multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
Isaf also confirmed the death of two Taliban leaders in separate operations of the joint forces.
“Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the death of Taliban leader, Shafiq, during an operation in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, Wednesday,” the Isaf statement said.
Shafiq, also known as Khan, was responsible for numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Kandahar province. He and his subordinates were involved in IED operations.
The second Taliban leader, Mazloom was killed during an operation in Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province, April 25. Mazloom was involved in IED operations and direct fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
He was also responsible for kidnapping an Afghan National Security Force soldier, training subordinate insurgent fighters and coordinating the movement of ammunition and weapons to Taliban forces.
Rise of Dollar Value In Afghan Markets
TOLOnews.com By Zabiuulah Jahanmal 06 May 2013
Increase of Dollar demand, decrease of foreign forces' expenses and increase in imports has caused rise of dollar value against Afghan currency, the Central Bank said.
The Central Bank said that the structure of demand and supply of currency market specifies the value of Afghani against foreign currencies. This structure has caused decrease of Afghani value against US dollar in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Afghans are concerned over value decrease of Afghani and rise of prices in markets.
The Central Bank of Afghanistan since many years has on a weekly basis supplied 50 million dollars to the market on average and until a few weeks ago had frequently maintained the value of dollar between 48 to 51 Afghani. But in recent weeks the value of Afghani has decreased against the dollar and every dollar has reached to 56 Afghani.
Right now the Central Bank calls effective structure of demand and supply on value decrease of Afghani.
Khan Afzal Idewal deputy of the central bank says “our money value stability depends on our imports and exports, meanwhile currently we 90% depend on the exports. How can we solve this problem?”
From the other hand, a number of sellers call dollar’s role effective on marketplace.
The officials of the central bank say that this bank right now is able to maintain value of the Afghani with supplying of more dollars into the market but it is better that the structure of demand and supply brings balance into marketplace.
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