Latest news with #TalibanGovernment
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
A top Taliban official offers amnesty to Afghans who fled the country and urges them to return
A top Taliban official said on Saturday that all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the former Western-backed government are free to return home, promising they would not be harmed if they come back. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund made the amnesty offer in his message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha , also known as the 'Feast of Sacrifice.'
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
China, Pakistan, Afghanistan meet in Beijing, decide to expand CPEC
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is set to be expanded to Afghanistan with the foreign ministers of the three countries agreeing on it as part of broader efforts to boost 'trilateral' cooperation. The announcement on expansion of CPEC was made following a meeting among Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing, according to a Pakistani readout. India has been severely critical of the CPEC as it passes through Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. New Delhi is also opposed to China's Belt and Road initiative as the project includes the CPEC. The trilateral meeting took place days after the interim Taliban Government recently warmed up to India. The meeting between the foreign ministers of the three countries was also held against the backdrop of Islamabad's persistent criticism of the interim Taliban Government for failing to crackdown on militant groups operating from Afghan soil waging a war against Pakistan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in her media briefing in Beijing termed as 'unofficial' the meeting between Mr. Wang, Mr. Dar, and Mr. Muttaqi. The three countries had a trilateral foreign ministers' mechanism for a long time, which has not been convened for some time amid growing differences between Islamabad and Kabul over the forcible repatriation of thousands of Afghan refugees by Pakistan. A Chinese Foreign Ministry press release on the trilateral meeting quoted Mr. Wang as saying that China supports Afghanistan and Pakistan in safeguarding their sovereignty, security and national dignity. The three sides should deepen cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, promote the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, and strengthen the construction of regional interconnection networks, it said. The three countries should oppose all forms of terrorism, carry out law enforcement and security cooperation, work together to combat terrorist forces of mutual concern, and be vigilant against external forces interfering in the internal affairs of countries in the region, the press release said. The trilateral meeting was held on the concluding day of Mr. Dar's three-day visit to Beijing, the first high-level interaction after India launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. 'Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan stand together for regional peace, stability, and development,' Mr. Dar said in a post on X after the meeting and shared a photo of the three leaders together. Mr. Wang held a separate bilateral meeting with Mr. Muttaqi on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), according to Xinhua, the state-run news agency. A statement by Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said in Islamabad that the three Foreign Ministers reaffirmed trilateral cooperation as a vital platform to promote regional security and economic connectivity. 'They discussed enhancing diplomatic engagement, strengthening communications, and taking practical steps to boost trade, infrastructure, and development as key drivers of shared prosperity,' it said. The Ministers underscored their shared commitment to countering terrorism and fostering stability and development in the region. It was agreed that the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Kabul at an early, mutually convenient, date, the FO statement added. Earlier on Tuesday (May 20, 2025), Mr. Dar met Mr. Wang, also the member of the Political Bureau of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Liu Jianchao, the Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and discussed issues arising out of the India-Pakistan military conflict besides New Delhi's decision to keep the 1960 Indus Water Treaty in abeyance. India has opposed the $60 billion CPEC construction as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) while China has expressed repeated concerns over frequent terror attacks on the multi-project Corridor. Pakistan has persistently criticised the interim Taliban Government for not cracking down on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) that it claims have been waging a war for the independence of Balochistan. The informal trilateral meeting took place amid warming of ties between India and the interim Taliban Government much to the chagrin of Pakistan. On May 16, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held telephone talks with Mr. Muttaqi, the highest-level contact between New Delhi and Kabul since Taliban captured power in August 2021. It came three weeks after India's point-person on Afghanistan Anand Prakash held talks with Mr. Muttaqi in Kabul. India is reportedly considering for the Afghan people certain development projects, including humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced Afghans repatriated from Pakistan in recent months.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Closure of Attari- Wagah border hits dry fruits supplies from Afghanistan
CHANDIGARH: Amid the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the , the closure of the has hit the trade of dry fruits from Afghanistan to India, which may result in the domestic prices of these commodities by 10 to 25 per cent. Despite years of war and civil strife, Afghanistan continues to be the largest source of dry fruits for India. Speaking to TNIE, National President of the Federation of Grocery and Dry fruit Commercial Association, Anil Mehra said that since April 22, after the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, no trucks carrying dry- fruits are coming from Kandahar in Afghanistan to Attari. "Some 50 trucks are standing at the Wagah border on Pakistan side. As many as 100 trucks enroute from Afghanistan to Attari in India carrying 35 to 40 tonnes of dry fruits will have to be diverted back. The dry fruit mainly comes from Kandahar in Afghanistan and some items from Kabul," he said. Most of the dry fruit approximately 90 per cent has come in January and February as there is no storage facility in Afghanistan and it is perishable item. While before the Pahalgam terror attack on a average daily 15 to 20 trucks come to Attari in the off season and in the season which starts from July 15 till Diwali some 40 to 60 trucks come per day,'' he said. Mehra added that the prices of the dry fruits have already risen by 10 to 25 per cent, as almonds which were costing Rs 750 to Rs 775 per kg are now selling at Rs 850 per kg a hike of Rs 70 to Rs 75 per kg also Pistachios which are selling between Rs 1,800 to Rs 2, 200 per kg depending upon the quality have gone up by 15 percent. In a statement the foreign ministry of Taliban Government stated that that the closure of the only operational land border crossing has effected trade between India and Afghanistan via Pakistan. `` This is one of the Afghanistan's shortest and cheapest transit routes for trade with India and Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment has said that the annual trade via this route is $ 500 million." From last year April to January this year, Indian exports to Afghanistan were $264.15 million, while imports stood at $591.49 million. Out of this, India's inbound shipments of dry fruits stood at $358 million. During this period, India's fruits and nuts import from Pakistan was $0.08 million. The main goods imported from Afghanistan through Attari include dried figs, asafoetida, saffron, dried apricots, pistachios and raisins. Another importer said that the closure of the land route will definitely impact imports of dry fruits from both Pakistan and Afghanistan. `` We will get the nuts but it would come from countries like UAE, Iran, and Iraq as these would act as an alternate route for Afghan dry fruits.'' Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, India immediately closed the Attari border. In retaliation, , including to and from any third country through Pakistan, is suspended forthwith. At present, India is trading with Afghanistan only via the Attari-Wagah border and Pakistan's suspension of trade will impact domestic exports and imports to Kabul. After the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, in which 44 CRPF personnel were killed, the Indian government had restricted import from Pakistan by hiking the custom duty to 200 per cent, from a mere 5 per cent. Since then, import of goods from Pakistan has almost stopped. In August 2019, when New Delhi abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan had ceased all trade relations with India.
