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www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimes www.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes MONDAY. MARCH 07. 2016 -Hoot 17, 1394 HS Yo ur Yo ur ad ad he re he re 0778894038 0778894038

Ex-President for including India in Afghan talks NEW DELHI: India, Iran and Rus- sia should be included in the talks with the Taliban, says former Af- ghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who said that the current talks among the Quadrilateral Coordina- tion Group (QCG) were Afghani- stan’s “only hope for peace” de- spite the fact that the talks were being held in Pakistan. “We have no other hope for peace. Which is what forces us to accept a condition we are unhap- py with (on the venue for talks in Pakistan). Of course, we aren’t happy that these talks aren’t be- By Akhtar M. Nikzad ing held in Afghanistan”, Mr. Afghan, Pak forces Karzai told The Hindu in an inter- KABUL: The National Unity view in Delhi. Government has hugely lost the trade fire on Mr. Karzai’s comments came youth’s trust, said a survey as there was uncertainty in Islam- Nangarhar border abad over just when the next round launched by the Election Watch of QCG talks that include repre- Organization of Afghanistan, a JALALABAD : Afghan and Pa- sentatives from the U.S., China, non-government watchdog that kistani security forces ex- Pakistan and Afghanistan, would said most of the youth who voted changed weapons fire at the bor- be scheduled. The group had met in the 2014 presidential election der near Ghoshat district of east- twice, in February in Islamabad on are disappointed with the govern- ern Nanagrahar province, an of- February 6 and Kabul on Febru- ment’s programs and performanc- ficial said on Sunday. Col. Wali ary 23, expressing the hope that es. the direct talks between the Af- Khan Shinwari, a border police ghan government and Taliban rep- “The 2,500 educated youth official in the east, told Pajhwok resentatives would be scheduled in interviewed have said they are re- Afghan News the Pakistani forc- early March, after which the QCG ally disappointed with what the es fired light and heavy weap- leaders of the government are do- had met. Afghan security forces have said that they have cleared Dand-e-Ghori in ons at Afghan security forces in However, in a statement on ing,” a member of the survey team the area. He said the exchange of Saturday, the Taliban said it would Baghlan of Taliban militants. They also claim to have inflicted heavy Habibullah Shinwari said Sunday. casualties on the Taliban during the Khurshid 20 military operation. cy to pave the ground for their participation in the government,” the fire continued periodically but not attend the talks until all the The survey interviewed the youth survey said. It warns if President Ashraf Ghani and chief executive no causality had been reported International Security Assistance General Gholam Farooq Ahmadi, the commander of the second bri- of 14 districts in six provinces. Force (ISAF) forces had left the gade of Afghan army in Baghlan said that 336 rebels have been killed, Abdullah Abdullah do not implement their commitments, the youth’s on this side of the border and he country. “We reject all such ru- “They are especially dissatis- distrust to the government would increase. Women suffer from large had no information about casu- while 258 others wounded. Ahmadi said that they have repelled all fied with the inattention of gov- mours and unequivocally state security threats in Dand-e-Ghori. He added that it has been 50 days of scale gender discrimination and they are deprived of their civil rights, alties across the border. Provin- that the leader of Islamic emirate ernment in bringing reforms in the according to the survey. However, the youth have said that they would cial Council Chief Ahmad Ali fighting between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban in Dand-e- administrations and giving chance has not authorised anyone to par- Ghori, Dand-e-Shahbuddin, and Baghlan Markzai areas of Baghlan prov- participate in the parliamentary election. Kamal Sadat, deputy culture Hazrat confirmed the incident ticipate in this meeting”, the state- to them in making decision.” minister said that youth had considerable participation in the past pres- and said Pakistani forces were ment reported on by agencies in ince. However, it has been nine months that Dand-e-Ghori has been He said that the youth had under the Taliban's control. "Security forces managed to clear the area idential elections and worked for democracy. He asked the youth to firing heavy and light weapons Kabul said. “(Islamic emirate) once several problems particularly un- participate and cast their vote for the young candidates in the parliamen- at Afghan border security forces again reiterates that unless the oc- with bravery and sacrifices. They have inflected heavy losses on the employment and the deteriorating tary election. “Establishment of legal political parties can pave the based in Anargi locality. cupation of Afghanistan is ended, Taliban militants," he said. Arab Tapa, Niazullah, Darqad and Afghan security. blacklists eliminated and innocent Tapa were the strongholds of the Taliban in Dand-e-Ghori, which are ground for youth to lawsuit from their right in the government.” He lamented the incident oc- prisoners freed, such futile mis- “Majority of the youth clari- Last year, 200,000 people mostly the youth left for European coun- curred amid intensified efforts at now under the government's control. fied that government has no poli- leading negotiations will not bear Ahmadi said that the Taliban fought against security forces for sev- tries due to unemployment and insecurity challenges. reviving the Afghan peace talks. any results”. The statement has led to more eral days from these strongholds, they killed nine army troops, but were unhappiness in Kabul over the eventually defeated. The Taliban has now fled to Bibi Gahwara Moun- progress in the talks, and particu- tains, which share a border with Samangan province. "The enemies had larly in Pakistan’s role in bringing created obstacles in Arab Tapa area to hinder the progress of Afghan the Taliban to the talks table, which security forces. However, our brave and alert forces— national police, now seem unlikely until April, national army and commandos - managed to break the enemy's front line Afghan officials told The Hindu. and move forward to Afghan Tapa," said Abdul Latif, another army Added to that, there has been commander in the province. Abdul Rahim, an army soldier, who has no let-up in violence by the Tali- ban, that are suspected to have recently returned from war to his base, said that they are ready to Insecurity, economic and social problems have increased. Government must carried out twin suicide bombings defend their soil. Abdul Jabar, a resident of the area, whose house was in Kabul and Kunar province on damaged in the war, said that he along with his family left the area during take steps for solution: Parliament Speaker February 27th, and no agreement the war in Pul-e-Khumri, the center of Baghlan. "Here the Taliban had a from the Taliban leadership to trav- stronghold. It was hard to stay here. We had no other way, but to leave By Farhad Naibkhel el to Kabul for the talks, some- this area," he said, while pointing at his house. He was glad to be able to thing the government has been return to his house, but said that he doesn't have enough money to KABUL: President Ashraf Ghani ement of the Afghan war, saying it terrorism. “We want to reach an gration as the outstanding prob- keen on. reconstruct it. says that the government has only wanted to use Afghanistan as agreement as two governments lems in the previous year. “None of these (decrease in “strong intentions” for both peace a battleground. “But we will never respecting each other’s indepen- Ibrahimi also called the gov- violence, and direct talks) have and defense. allow anyone to put Afghanistan dency and sovereignty,” he said. ernment’s peace efforts unclear, happened so far, and there has been Addressing the lawmakers at in danger.” Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi, saying the process had no spe- no real talks between Afghans the parliament’s opening session “Daesh (Islamic State) is an- Speaker for the Wolesi Jirga cific outcomes. See P2 Ghani said that the defense prepa- other element of war, the extrem- (Lower House of Parliament) “Complicated preparations rations were against those who ists fighting for their own inter- mentioned increasing insecurity, for the parliamentary election are ‘Taliban’s Quetta impose war on Afghanistan. ests, but fortunately they are in poverty, economic challenges, the other challenge,” he under- “Our responsibility is to be escaping condition in Afghani- unemployment and people’s mi- lined. Shura leads war prepared for the worse condition, stan.” Also there are Uzbek, Tajik in Helmand’ but be hopeful for better situation,” and Chechen terrorist groups in- the president said. cluding Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, AT Monitoring Desk He said that reaching to dura- he elaborated. “Also there is an KABUL: The Helmand Provincial ble peace needed patience, time unannounced war between Af- Council members along with a and evaluation of war reasons. ghanistan and Pakistan,” Ghani number of civil society activists It is not an internal war, it is an said. Pointing to Afghanistan and said that the Taliban’s Quetta Shura was leading the war in Musa Qala imposed war which we did not Pakistan issues, he said that there district of southern Helmand prov- start, he added. is a common point between the two ince. According to them a number Ghani called al-Qaeda as an el- nations burning in the flames of of Quetta Shura fighters have find foothold in the district and they were engaged in fight against the Afghan National Security Forces. Moreover, they called on the con- cerned authorities to take neces- sary steps to prevent the influx of the Quetta Shura Taliban in the district. “If the government cannot ad- dress this challenge then Helmand WASHINGTON : The United iation process is the surest way to stan. will have a tough war ahead during States on Sunday warned end violence and ensure the lasting He said the Americans were this spring season,” Deputy Chair- the Taliban to either join the peace stability of Afghanistan and the working closely with other mem- WOMEN’S GAINS RAISE HOPES man of the Helmand provincial process or face the onslaught of region,” the official added. bers of the Quadrilateral Coordi- council, Majid Akhundzada, was American and Afghan forces. He said the US joined Presi- nation Group (QCG) to facilitate quoted by TOLONews, as say- FOR THEIR FUTURE: RULA GHANI ing. Secretary of the council, Ataul- ”The Taliban have a choice: to dent Ghani in calling on Taliban to the resumption of dialogue toward lah Afghan also expressed concern join good-faith negotiations for participate in direct peace talks a political settlement. JALALABAD (Pajhwok): First his chairmanship. lence against women took place and said that a number of Taliban peace, or continue to fight a war in with the government of Afghani- (Pajhwok) lady Rula Ghani on Sunday said “Five women hold high gov- this solar year. “The figures show fighters of Quetta Shura have find which they are killing their fellow recent achievements ernment positions in Nangarhar, an increase in violence against their way to the district and fuel- Afghans and destroying their coun- by women had raised hopes for 3,000 women are associated with women. Not allowing girls to at- ing war there. At the same time, try,” a State Department spokes- civil society activists also pointed their bright future. handicraft industry and tens of tend school and underage marriag- man told Pajhwok Afghan News. The first lady was addressing thousands are gettingeducation.” es have declined, but physical vio- out that how the Quetta Shura ”If they choose the latter members find their way to the dis- a gathering marking the Interna- Nangarhr women’s affairs di- lence has increased.” Hundreds of trict. “We are concerned about course, they will continue to face tional Women’s Day in Jalalabad, rector Anisa Imrani said the first women from eastern provinces at- activities of Quetta Shura in Musa the combined efforts of the Afghan the capital of eastern Nangarhar lady had promised to create a fund tended the gathering marking the Qala and we want to know how security forces and their interna- province. for underprivileged women in the women’s international day. A hand- they made it to the district,” tional partners,” the spokesman Voicing her support for the province. She told Pajhwok Af- icraft exhibition showcasing goods TOLOnews quoted Mirza Mo- warned. Afghan women, she said women’s ghan News on the sidelines of the made by women was also opened hammad Haqparast, a civil soci- He said the US supported Pres- ety activist in Helmand. gains in provinces had increased gathering that she urged the first on the occasion. Rula Ghani also ident Ashraf Ghani’s efforts to end hopes for their betterment. lady to increase women’s partici- distributed awards to some wom- Another civil activist, Sardar the conflict in Afghanistan Mohammad Hamdard, asked the Rula Ghani said spouses pation in government offices and an activists and hoped they would government to spare no efforts through a peace and reconciliation should respect each other so their pay attention to their education. continue their efforts. In the wake aimed at stopping the flood of process with the Taliban. children have a good future. Afghanistan Independent Hu- of the first lady’s visit, strict secu- Quetta Shura members to the dis- “As President Obama af- Nangarhar Governor Salim man Rights Commission (AIHRC) rity measures were put in place trict. According to members of firmed during the January 2013 Khan Kunduzi said an exclusive head for Nangarhar, Sabrina and traffic was not allowed in cen- Helmand provincial council, Tali- state visit of President Karzai to ban has control over large areas of meeting to resolve women’s prob- Hameedi, told Pajhwok Afghan tral parts of the city, creating in- Washington, an Afghan-led and lems took place each month under News that 338 incidents of vio- convenience for residents. the district. Afghan-owned peace and reconcil- This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY. MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Fatema Akbari: From a refugee to an WASHINGTON: “Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming entrepreneur Afghanistan” converts the Smith- sonian’s International Gallery into KABUL: Fatema Akbari is the a space that evokes the vibrant owner of Gulistan Sadaqat Com- marketplace of Old Kabul with pany, a furniture manufacturing artisans demonstrating their skills in jewelry making, woodworking, business in Kabul. Founded in calligraphy, ceramics and other 2003, the business employs close crafts. to 100 Afghans, mostly women she “This exhibition highlights the has trained as carpenters. A wid- vitality of these new Afghan arti- ow herself, she prioritizes hiring sans and demonstrates the power women whose husbands have ei- of art and culture to tell the story ther been killed or disabled in the of artistic creativity, resilience and war, because she is passionate hope,” said Julian Raby, The Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the about helping women gain employ- Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and ment and secure their lives. Freer Gallery of Art. “This is a Vital Voices honors Fatema powerful moment meant to tran- with the 10,000 Women Entrepre- scend the headlines of war and con- neurial Achievement Award for her flict.” work to empower other Afghan The exhibition, presented by women — through the training and the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of employment provided by her car- Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gal- lery from March 5 through Jan. pentry business, and through the 29, 2017, invites visitors to expe- literacy and skills training provid- rience the rebirth of Afghanistan’s ed by her non-governmental orga- cultural legacy after decades of nization (NGO) to women in Tal- conflict and neglect. iban-controlled areas. Turquoise Mountain is a Brit- Fatema, whose family fled to ish charity based in Afghanistan Iran when the Taliban came to that works with Afghan artisans power, learned carpentry at a and architects to revive the coun- try’s cultural heritage and revital- young age and envisioned return- ize Murad Khani, Kabul’s historic ing to Afghanistan to start her own Old City where artisans live and carpentry business. She knew that work. Established in 2006, Tur- starting a business was a risky ven- quoise Mountain was founded at ture, but she also knew that suc- the request of HRH Prince cess would offer a means of em- Charles, the Prince of Wales. ployment to women in her prov- The immersive exhibition in- ince, and would prove that wom- cludes: · Seventeen visiting Afghan en could contribute equally to the artisans, many of whom are teach- economic stability of Afghanistan ers and young entrepreneurs, who as a whole. will share their experiences and After building her business, demonstrate their skills heart of ancient Silk Road trade forced to leave their country or ghanistan, was founded at the re- “Since we started about 10 Shoshana Stewart, CEO of Tur- Fatema enrolled in the Goldman · A caravanserai, a courtyard routes, and for more than 3,500 give up their craft. The Old City quest of HRH Prince Charles and years ago, Turquoise Mountain quoise Mountain. “Now, we can Sachs 10,000 Women program in that served as a gathering and rest- years it blended traditions from of Kabul—Murad Khani, the once Hamid Karzai, the then-president and the artisans of Kabul have been bring their story to the American 2009 at the American University ing place for Silk Road travelers, India, Persia and Central Asia into bustling center of craft and com- of Afghanistan. The charity is re- a very tangible and visible symbol public.” “Turquoise Mountain: of Afghanistan. There, she gained recreated with more than three tons a distinct artistic culture. Decades merce in Afghanistan’s largest me- viving the nation’s proud cultural of cooperation between the com- Artists Transforming Afghanistan” of hand-carved Himalayan cedar of civil unrest that began in the tropolis—fell into ruin. legacy by transforming Murad munity of Murad Khani, the gov- is organized by the Arthur M. the management skills that would and that includes two 30-foot col- 1970s nearly destroyed this vital Turquoise Mountain, named Khani from slum conditions into a ernment of Afghanistan and the Sackler Gallery and Turquoise allow her to further grow the com- onnaded arches and artisan stalls, heritage. Artisans were often for a lost 12th-century city in Af- vibrant cultural and economic hub. international community,” said Mountain.—(Art Daily) pany. embellished with colorful toshaks, Sharing a Vital Voices convic- Afghan cushions, where visitors tion that investing in women is one may sit and take in the dynamic of the most effective ways to spur exhibition · Immersive video and Sonita review: Afghan female rapper goes on economic growth, Goldman Sachs large-scale photographs · An in- 10,000 Women offered a new op- teractive touchscreen map of Af- ghanistan that allows visitors to unpredictable journey in triumphant documentary portunity for Fatema. She says the explore the history of the region program, “equipped me with new and explore its artistic traditions management and business devel- · A social-media wall with cur- The documentary film-maker has re-entered her daughter’s life opment skills.” Since graduating, rent visitor feedback and changing Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami dis- to bring her home and sell her as a she has substantially increased her content covered a goldmine when she came bride, for $9,000, so the family can income, hired more workers and Afghanistan is located at the across Sonita, a beautiful but visi- buy Sonita’s brother a wife of his mapped out a strategy for her com- bly dispirited 14-year-old undoc- own. pany over the next five years. QCG-supported talks umented Afghan refugee in Iran. Ghaemmaghami briefly ap- Just as 10,000 Women provid- At the outset of their journey pears in the early passages, when ed her with an educational oppor- Afghanistan’s only together, Sonita works in Tehran Sonita, tired of answering ques- tunity, Fatema wants to spread ray of hope . . . as a cleaner at a refugee center that tions, asks to hold the camera. The this type of opportunity to other doubles as a school, and lives with director plays a much more pivot- women and is paying forward this From P1 her sister and niece in a single tiny al role as her documentary investment in her community, and room. She imagines herself a su- progresses, as she becomes inex- in her own family. themselves. If this were an in- perstar rapper – when not work- tricably woven into Sonita’s fight With her increased profits, ternal problem then we, the Af- ing, she spends her days superim- for freedom – after paying off her Fatema has expanded the efforts ghans should be talking. If there posing her face on to magazine subject’s mother with $2,000 to of her NGO, which has provided are other powers talking then cutouts of Rihanna, or performing keep the girl in Iran. The film-mak- skills training and literacy classes clearly the problem comes from for the kids at the center. er crosses the line from observer for thousands of women in Tali- external factors. We welcome the She wants to follow in Rihan- to participant. ban-controlled areas since 2004. current process, but we want it to na’s footsteps, but as an artist she Ghaemmaghami’s actions call The organization, Women Affairs be inclusive, result oriented and couldn’t be more different. Sonita into question the ever-evolving role Council, teaches women how to should lead to an Afghan to Af- doesn’t rap about love or fame – of documentary film-maker – but make jams and handicrafts, how ghan talks, not a foreign process,” she raps defiantly about her expe- given Sonita’s plight, it’s impossi- to tailor and weave and also edu- Mr. Karzai said to The Hindu, add- rience as an Afghan teenager at ble not to sympathize with the cates women and men about hu- ing that Pakistan held the key to odds with her sexist surroundings. director’s decision. Her protective man rights. bringing the Taliban on board. She’s an activist, only she’s too instincts turn out to work in Soni- Fatema has trained 5,610 men Officials suggest that Mr. young to really know it. ta’s favor. Had they not, this would and women across Afghanistan. Karzai’s voice, like that of many Sonita’s estranged mother have been a very different docu- chooses to keep the focus on Soni- ered activist over a three-year span ship with Sonita had on the young Her leadership — as a business- others in Kabul indicates the grow- makes a surprise visit from Af- mentary. ta’s evolution as an artist. The ap- is thrilling. Whatever you make of woman’s life – and the unyielding woman, an educator and the elect- ing disquiet over the lack of results ghanistan. It isn’t long before she Probably because of the up- proach works: to witness Sonita’s Ghaemmaghami’s actions, there’s power of her documentary.—(The ed representative of her district’s in talks with the Taliban so far, makes her intentions known: she lifting outcome, Ghaemmaghami rise from timid rapper to empow- no denying the impact her friend- Guardian) business council — has earned her and the worst violence seen yet in respect from many in her commu- 2015. According to a UN nity, and she is dedicated to em- (UNAMA) report released in Feb- Dad who tried to rescue Afghan powering the next generation of ruary, more than 3,500 people had UNDP to blackout photos on young women leaders. One of these been killed in violence, mainly be- girl from migrant camp vows to young women is her daughter, tween security forces and the Tal- Shahla. iban, casualties in which one in Afghan website for Women’s Day After graduating from the four was a child. save more youngsters 10,000 Women program, Fatema In a rare admission this week, KABUL: A United Nations agen- As the Afghan government murder of a woman in central Kab- Rob Lawrie can only watch in hor- help by the shocking images of was also able to use her increased Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Advis- cy in Afghanistan plans to stop moves toward a dialogue with the ul, after she was falsely accused of ror as the latest violence unfolds three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kur- income to fund the launch of Shah- er Sartaj Aziz said what was well- publishing photographs on its Taliban to end the war, now in its burning a Quran. Farkhunda Ma- in the Calais migrant camp dubbed di, whose body washed up on a la’s own footwear company. Shahla known, but what the Pakistan gov- website to highlight the plight of 15th year, many women fear that likzada was set upon by a mob, ‘the Jungle’. Turkish beach. has grown that business in a very ernment has denied thus far: that Afghan women ahead of Interna- hard-won legal rights will be sacri- brutally beaten, driven over by a It’s a scene of chaos which the “The ‘Jungle’ was like a city short time. She now employs 20 the Taliban’s leadership and their tional Women’s Day on March 8, ficed for peace. car, and her body burned. aid worker is sadly all too familiar of lost souls,” he recalls. “There people, runs two workshops, and families now live in Pakistan. a U.N. official said on Sunday. The extremist Taliban regime Her killers, identified from with. — thanks to the encouragement of Speaking at the Council for For- The move aims to bring atten- ruled Afghanistan for five years mobile phone footage of the inci- Rob, 49, made headlines last her mother — she is now a gradu- eign Relations, Mr. Aziz said, “I tion to the fear many Afghan wom- before being toppled by the 2001 dent, had their sentences commut- year when he tried to sneak a four- ate of 10,000 Women as well. think people who have dealt with en have of the potential conse- U.S. invasion. During that time, ed, and most of her immediate fam- year-old Afghan girl out of the Fatema says, “I support my this issue recognize that Taliban in camp and back to the UK, to give quences of appearing in public or women were terrorized — banned ily has left the country for their at least one of the helpless chil- daughter and I guide her in her busi- the best of times … did not listen having their photographs pub- from education and work, forced own safety. dren a chance. ness so she can be successful and to Pakistan always…and now we lished, said Rob Few, chief of com- into their homes unless accompa- In recent months, a number of The father-of-four was caught build our home country.” With her have some influence on them be- munications for the U.N. Devel- nied by a male relative and wear- women have been publicly stoned and charged by the French author- courage, dedication and entrepre- cause their leadership is in Paki- opment Program in Kabul. ing the all-encompassing burqa. in remote parts of Afghanistan for ities. The girl, Bahar Ahmadi, was neurial spirit, Fatema is helping stan and they get some medical Photographs already on the The post-2001 constitution apparent adultery, and one young returned to the camp. Shahla, and countless women facilities, their families are here. So UNDP’s Afghanistan website protects women from violence and woman had her nose cut off by an Five months later, Rob is full was no food, no proper shelter.” throughout her country, provide we can use those levers to pres- would be blacked out starting Sun- discrimination. But after more than abusive husband. of regret that his humane but rash He had been there only hours for themselves and their families surize them to say ‘come to the day, and replaced with the hashtag 30 years of conflict, Afghan soci- The Afghanistan Independent impulse cost him his marriage, his when his path crossed with Ba- because she believes that giving table.’.” #WhereAreTheWomen, Few said. ety has largely retreated into reli- Human Rights Commission pub- mental health and “every last pen- har’s, changing both their lives for- opportunity to the women of Af- Afghan analysts have also been Original captions would re- gious conservatism that has seen lished a report this month accus- ny”. ever. “I was hammering wood ghanistan is the surest way to He escaped jail after a global when I felt a tug on my shirt. I worried that the presence of the main, so visitors to the site know more women, even in the capital ing the judicial system of abusing show of support and was given a turned to see a little girl smiling up build a safe and prosperous Af- U.S. and China in the QCG would what they are missing, and no new Kabul, wearing the burqa and the women’s rights by forcing women suspended £750 fine instead. at me with big brown eyes,” he ghanistan.—(Wadsam) push President Ghani to accept photographs would be posted, he niqab full-face veil for fear of a and girls accused of the “crime” of The stress caused him to have said. It marked the beginning of an more and more concessions toward said. The campaign will last about Taliban return. President Ashraf sex outside marriage to undergo a breakdown which ended in a sui- unlikely connection between Rob the Taliban, even though they have a week, he added. Ghani has pledged that women’s invasive “virginity tests,” vaginal cide attempt. and the young refugee who had been unable to bring enough pres- In conservative Afghanistan, rights will not be eroded in ex- and rectal examinations performed However, he has not given up fled her Afghanistan home to es- sure to bear on Pakistan to use women are often subject to abuse, change for peace with the Taliban. against their will by government on Bahar or any of the refugees he cape the Taliban. those “levers”. “We believe China forced into arranged marriages, and Face-to-face talks that were ex- doctors. New York-based Human now calls friends and has returned Bahar’s father, Reza, begged has an influence on Pakistan, and even traded to settle disputes. pected to take place early this Rights Watch said the examinations to the camp to see the little girl him to get her out and deliver her we hope it will exercise that influ- Domestic violence is endemic. month appear to be in jeopardy amount to sexual assault. twice as he tries to get her out to relatives living in West York- ence to bring peace in Afghanistan”, through legitimate channels. shire. High-profile women have been after the Taliban issued a statement Women are also the biggest But, watching the latest tur- Rob returned to the camp sev- Mr. Karzai said, adding, “Let’s murdered. As a result, few women Saturday saying they would not victims of war, with the U.N. as- moil from Calais, as riot police eral times, facing the same desper- look at it this way… this quadri- work outside the home or are ac- participate. The UNDP’s decision sistance mission in Afghanistan storm the camp and destroy hun- ate appeal from Reza, before fi- lateral dialogue implies that the tive in public life, despite consti- to question the way women are last month reporting that 10 per- dreds of makeshift tents, Rob feels nally being persuaded to intervene problem for Afghanistan is exter- tutional guarantees of their safety. treated in Afghan society also cent of total civilian casualties in despair. as the little girl slept on his lap. nal, then there are other external Few said the UNDP’s decision comes ahead of the first anniver- 2015 were women, up 37 percent PAEx-soldier Rob Lawrie ar- He said: “I wasn’t thinking players as well who are important. came after an Afghan woman sary on March 19 of the public from the year before.—(AP) rives for to attend a news confer- about the consequences, just about Iran is the first, then India and helped by the agency to escape an ence carrying in his arms Afghani rescuing her.” Rob drove to the fer- Russia. They are all friends and abusive forced marriage said she girl Bahar Ahmadi, known as ry port where he was stopped by neighbors, so I hope the talks would was too afraid to have her photo BruBahar Ahmadi, known as Bru police and confessed the child was include them too”. “Imagine how you would feel sleeping in the back of his van. published alongside a report about if it was your house - because these “I’d never been in trouble with India has stayed disengaged her experience. tents are people’s houses,” Rob the law before. I kept thinking, if from the process, saying that it “Walk down any street, or into said yesterday from his Leeds I’d made a different choice a cou- would support any initiative that any government office, or into any home. ple of hours earlier, I’d be on my is “Afghan-owned and Afghan- hospital, police station, business “You can’t imagine the horrors way home to my family,” he said. led”. However officials say that or university, and you have to ask they’ve seen. These are vulnera- When he did get home after while they are regularly briefed by yourself, ‘Where are the women?’ ble people with nothing. Where do three days in French detention, his US officials on the state of the “ Few said. “We’ve come a long they go? They’ve come to France marriage broke down and he tried talks, there is no proposal to broad- way since 2001, but we need to do looking for safety and a better life.” to take his own life. en the scope of the QCG talks to more to make women safer and to Rob travelled to the camp last “I’m a strong person but it admit any more international play- September to build shelters for broke me,” Rob admitted. allow them to take part in econom- desperate refugees, compelled to mirror.co ers.—(The Hindu) ic and public life.” This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY. MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

Members of security forces stand at the site of an attack near the Afghan parliament in Kabul, Afghanistan June 22, 2015. © Ahmad Masood / Reuters

By Mansoor Faizy KABUL:The Taliban insurgents Despite that, the Afghan Na- on Saturday rejected to take part tional Unity Government is look- EMERGENCY in the direct peace talks with the ing hopeful to the resumption of Afghan government, unless their peace talks with the Taliban. Dep- CALLS conditionswere met. The militant uty spokesman for Afghan Chief group says it has not authorized Executive, Javid Faisal, said that Police anyone to attend negotiations though the Taliban rejected peace brooked by Afghanistan, Pakistan, talks but still the government was China and the United States. hopeful for the resumption of talks 100 - 119 Withdrawal of the foreign with the Taliban. troops from Afghanistan, exchange The spokesman said the gov- of prisoners and removal of its lead- ernment considers peace talks as decision to oppose direct talks was due to China’s involvementin the Hospitals ers names from the UN blacklist the soleremedy to the prolong war an overnight affair, rather there are talks. are the three major conditions. The aimed at achieving the long-await- third party playing games with If needed the government Coming meeting with Russian FMIC Hospital group made it crystal clear that it- ed desire of the Afghan people. them and had been waited for the would seek military support from Behind Kabul Medical right time to reject the talks through China to fight Taliban insurgents officials vital for economic would not give nod to any direct Recently, the United States University: talks until their demands were ad- President Barack Obama had also their tongue. It might be like one in the country. growth: Alokozay dressed. put his weight behind the Afghan face with several tongues. When Chief of the Chinese 0202500200-+93793275595 In a media statement issued peace process. During a video con- Taliban had no other option People’s Liberation Army, Gen. KABUL: The deputy chief of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and but to join the Afghan-owned and Fang Fenghui, had recently paid here, the militant group said that ference with President Ashraf Industries (ACCI) Khan Jan Alokozay called the third economic meet- Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital the US was reviewing troop levels Ghani, he pledged to support the Afghan-led peace and reconcilia- visit to Kabul, Afghanistan’s Na- ing with the Russian officials in Kabul too important and a step could to deploy more soldiers in Afghan- Afghan peace and reconciliation tion process as during several meet- tional Security Advisor Moham- help the country’s fragile economy beef up in different scopes. Pule Bagh-e- Umomi ings between Afghanistan and Pa- mad HanifAtmar requested Beijing istan and carrying out airstrikes in process. He said the Russians were interested in investment in different 070263672 different parts of the country, but The fourth meeting of the kistan officials, both sides agreed for military assistance. fields including construction, transport, mines as well as in gas and oil kept the Taliban uninformed about Quadrilateral Coordination Group to take military action against Atmaralso welcomed the pro- refinery projects. Alokozay asked for serious attention to the country’s meetings of the quadrilateral con- (QCG) on the Afghan peace and those Taliban who are opposing posal of Fenghui that Afghanistan, investment sector, as emphasizing on the economic importance, he add- the talks. China, Tajikistan, and Pakistan ed, “Afghanistan would gain good results if the Russian traders were Khairkhana Hospital sultative group, comprising of Af- reconciliation process was held in provided with good investment ground in the country.” The meeting is ghanistan, China, the United States Kabul on February 23, 2016. The US State Department militaries should form a Joint Co- 0799-321007 called on the Taliban to come to ordination Mechanism for region- held, while the Afghan traders are complaining about trade and transit and Pakistan. The QCG member states in- problems with the neighboring countries. They said they were seeking 2401352 The rejection follows efforts vited all Taliban and other groups the negotiating table, saying Af- al security and fight against terror- ghanistan’s allies would continue ism. good trade and transit relations with the neighboring countries, but the to revive talks that broke down last to participate through their autho- traders are facing challenges from them in different fields. yearfollowing the announcement of rized representatives in the first to back the Kabul government as Atmar requested China’s it fights the insurgency.”The Tali- COAS to provide military assis- A goods importer, Yaseen told that when importing commodities Indira Gandhi Children the death of the Taliban’s founder round of direct peace talks with from the neighboring countries’ ports, the Afghan traders were coerced and long-time leader Mullah Omar the Afghan government expected ban have a choice: to join good- tance including transport planes, to pay additional money, after suspending the laden tracks inside their Hospital, Wazir Akbar some two years earlier.Mullah to take place in mid March, this faith negotiations for peace, or mobile radars and military uniform lands, under different pretexts. “We support the bilateral economic Khan, Kabul 2301372 Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor has year. Pakistan has graciously of- continue to fight a war in which to Afghanistan National and De- meeting with Russia, but ask the Afghan side to talk on the challenge, we not established any committee to fered to host this round of talks in they are killing their fellow Af- fense Security Forces (ANDSF). are facing, to help our problems met,” said the merchant. A Kabul Uni- engage in talks with the govern- Islamabad.Unfortunately, despite ghans and destroying their own Fang Fenghui reaffirmed his coun- versity teacher of economics, Saifuddin Saihoon believed the economic Ibn-e- Seena ment, the statement added. Pakistan’s offer to hold first round country,” it said in a statement.”If try’s commitment to help Afghan- meetings were in general helpful and any economic plans would never be “At the same time rumors are of face-to-face talks, the Taliban they choose the latter course, they istan. empty of gains for the country’s fragile economy. “The former Soviet Pul-e-Artan, Kabul being circulated that delegates of rejected to participate. will continue to face the combined The Taliban insurgents should Union has implemented many projected, with even more than 70 per- 2100359 Islamic Emirate [Taliban] will be Furthermore, Pakistan’s Chief efforts of the Afghan security forc- shun violence and reintegrate into cent of road building, agriculture sector as well as matters related to participating in the upcoming of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif es and their international partners,” civil society by joining the Afghan irrigation. And now Russia Federative is looking to have been extremely it said. peace process, because once re- interested in these sectors. The plan would help Afghanistan. meetings with the permission of in a meeting with President Ashraf Afghanistan is now linked with Russian via the Uzbekistan and Wazir Akbar Khan Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Ghani he reiterated his country’s As soon as the Taliban under- gional countries joined hands to stand that war is no longer a solu- fighting them, they would find no Turkmenistan railway and if the economic relation was resorted the Hospital Mansoor.We reject all such rumors supports for peace and stability country’s economy would get further developed. According to him, and unequivocally state that the in Afghanistan. tion, it is better for them. They place to hide. 2301741, 2301743 should not forget that Afghanistan The pen is mightier than the Russia has right now an annual trade deal of a limited $250 to 270, but leader of Islamic Emirate has not Moreover, the US Secretary with potentially the capacity of development the trade between the two authorized anyone to participate of State John Kerry in a meeting and Pakistan come to an under- sword. standing that they would take mil- The Taliban should convince countries. He added Russia can boost its investment cooperating with in this meeting and neither has the with Pakistan’s Adviser on For- Afghanistan in the areas melting, producing grids and goods in the coun- Ali Abad Leadership Council of Islamic eign Affairs Sartaj Aziz called on itary action against those Taliban people with ideas and words not try, as it a good background of proper goods sale in Afghanistan. Shahrara, Kabul Emirate decided to partake in it,” regional countries’ cooperation in who reject the talks. by killing innocent peoples. They He asked the government of Afghanistan for providing cooperation the statement said. bringing peace and security in Af- There is a proverb, “A wise have only one way to hear their to Russia investors to work road building projects, handicrafts, tourism, 2100439 According to the statement, ghanistan. man changes his mind, a fool will ideas and that’s to join the table of mining, refining oil and gas as well as irrigation system. Saihoon also the Taliban would not become part But what suddenly happened never.” talks. blamed some national and international entities for failing to reconstruct of the four-nation supported peace to these all efforts, and why the The Taliban should no more Time is ripe for the Taliban to the Salang Pass, where they have promised to do since the last 14 years. Malalai Maternity drive unless their conditions were Taliban have rejected the talks linger on their war as it brings noth- join peace talks before they loss For regional cooperation development, the government should provide Hospital met. while the QCG reached to the fi- ing but devastation.Moreover, the every available resources. Still any venues to help the country under a transparent plan have their The militant group said that nal stageto hold direct peace talks people of Afghanistan and the gov- there is opportunity from them, helpful economic plan in the fields of investment and transit in the 2201377/ 2301743 it had already made its stance clear with them. ernment are quite relax despite re- and the Taliban insurgents should country. The landlocked Afghanistan want a proper trade and transit jection of talks by the Taliban, be- not forget one thing that opportu- way to the regional and world countries via the neighboring soils.— in this regard during the Pugwash However, it would not be irra- (BNA) Banks conference. tional to think that the Taliban’s cause this time situation is quit fair nity never knocks twice. Da Afghanistan Bank NEDA TELECOMMUNICATIONS SCOOPS AWARD FOR 2100302, 2100303 ‘OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE’ FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING AT Artifacts handed over YAHCLICK SERVICE PARTNER FORUM Bakhtar Bank to National Museum 0776777000 th Kabul, Afghanistan 9 February 2016:YahClick, the high-speed satellite broadband service provider,has recognised Neda KABUL: Some historic relics seized by ticular Paktika. According another report, Azizi Bank Telecommunications’continual ‘Operational Excellence’, for a second year running,with an award at this year’s YahClick the country’s security forces in outskirts Minister of Information and Culture in a con- Service Partner Forum in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The ‘Operational Excellence’ award is testament of Neda Telecommunications’ of Faryab province were submitted yes- ference held yesterday on position of women 0799 700900 exceptional operational record over a number of years. YahClick cited that despite the difficulties of operating in dangerous and terday to National Museum of Afghani- in Islam and reviewing violence from the pros- remote areas, the telecoms operator maintained exceptional levels of quality across its business including impressive installa- stan, BNA reported, adding that the man pects of Islam and laws called the country- Pashtany Bank tion times. Neda Telecommunications has also made significant strides in enhancing its support mechanisms, allowing the carrying illegally said relics in the prov- men to pay full consideration to maintaining 2102908, 2103868 organisation to be more reachable to its customer base. Commenting on the award, YahClick’s Chief Commercial Officer, David ince was under further investigation. of women’s rights in the country. Minister Murphy said: “I would like to congratulate Neda Telecommunications for once again demonstrating operational efficiencies Praising national security forces, Min- Jahani considered holding seminars and con- ister of Information and Culture, Abdul ferences for public awareness in this regard Air Services that exceed YahClick’s expectations. By jointly working together we are able to make a difference to the daily lives of Afghani Bari Jahani, instructed the museum offi- as significant.—(BNA) people, providing meaningful connectivity to the provinces and urban areas.” Neda Telecommunication’s CEO , Ahmad Ihsan cials for professionally restoration of the Safi Airways said:” Neda Telecommunications was one of six international service partner award winners at the event. Award nominations seized objects. According to another re- were sought from with in YahClick and were carefully reviewed by an evaluation committee for the final selection. Neda port, Minister of Information and Culture 020 22 22 222 Telecommunications is a service partner for YahClick’s satellite internet service in Afghanistan. in a meeting with advisor to president on youth affairs, Shamim Khan Katawazi, and Ariana a number of Paktika’s cultural figures dis- cussed cultural situation of the province. 020-2100270 After hearing suggestions and demands made by the cultural figures of Paktika, Kam Air Minister of Information and culture sug- 0799974422 gested various recommendations to cultural figures in connection with improvement of cultural condition in the country, in par- Hotels Safi Landmark Rehab center using 39 Taliban killed in 020-2203131 new technique to military ops SERENA 0799654000 treat addicts AT News Report A drug rehabilitation center in Afghanistan is using KABUL: Thirty-nine Taliban New Rumi Restaurant new in-house techniques to treat drug addicts. fighters were killed and 29 others 0776351347 Officials at the center said that one of the new wounded in the counter-insurgen- ways for rehabilitation of drug addicts is 'in-house cy operations in the past 24 hours, medication'. security officials said Sunday. Internet Services They added that they are using new effective “The Afghan National Army UA Telecom drug rehabilitation techniques in order to prevent (ANA) with the collaboration of 0796701701 / 0796702702 them from relapsing. the Afghan National Police (ANP) Self-treatment, in-house medication, treatment and the National Directorate of in rehabilitation centers and treatment in coopera- Security (NDS) conducted the Exchange Rate About YahClick tion with people are the techniques that Nejat Cen- operations against insurgents in YahClick is Yahsat’s flagship high-speed satellite broadband internet service, and is the leading satellite broadband Ka-band ter is utilizing to rehabilitate drug addicts. different areas of Kandahar, Hel- Purchase: service across the Middle East, Africa, Central and South West Asia. It was launched in September 2012, to provide broadband "We have new methods to treat drug addicts in mand, Baghlan, Badghis and Urz- coverage in over 28 countries with a total combined population of more than 1 billion people. YahClick can deliver satellite here, and then they reunite with their families. Their gan provinces,” ministry of de- One US$ = broadband Internet to a wide range of industries, including NGOs, government, educational organisations, media and broad- families cooperate with us and we show them some fense said on Sunday in a state- cast, as well as home users. Yahsat’s subscribers have been growing year-on-year. In 2013, its first year of operation, YahClick methods to help them quit drugs," said Mohammad ment. 68.78Afs acquired more than 20,000 subscribers and by the end of 2014 this number had reached more than 34,000. YahClick is beamed Qasem Zamani, executive director of the center. “In these operations, 39 rebels One Pound Sterling= were killed and 29 others were in- through Yahsat’s second satellite Y1B, the first satellite in these regions to offer internet connectivity through Ka-band multi- As many as three million people are believed to be using drugs in Afghanistan. jured.” 98.50Afs spot beams, providing a greater level of overall efficiency and cost-effective broadband solutions. In countries where YahClick "I told myself that I will use drugs just today The statement added that 10 One Euro = is operational, there is often a lack of reliable high-speed internet infrastructure, particularly in rural or remote areas. YahClick and will quit them tomorrow. Tomorrow, when I insurgents were also arrested dur- 76.78Afs connections are more reliable and much faster than dated mobile internet technologies, and they bypass the infrastructure come back I used them again and this continued," ing the operations and were hand- required for fixed line connectivity, resulting in easier deployment. Above all, YahClick provides coverage over vast geographic said Ahmad Jawed, a drug addict. ed over to judiciary organs for fur- 1000 Pak Rs = regions, irrespective of population density in these locations. Based on the success of its services in existing markets Yahsat Zia, another addict, said that he has a family and ther investigation. 638Afs is expanding its fleet with its third satellite, Al Yah 3. Due for service launch in early 2017 and utilizing the most advanced has three children and he has used drugs for 16 years. “Unfortunately, six army sol- Sale: technology available in the market. Al Yah 3 will extend YahClick’s commercial Ka-band coverage to an additional 18 countries The center is also treating female drug addicts. diers were martyred by the ene- One US$ = in Africa, covering 60% of its population, as well as its first entry in to Brazil where it will cover over 95% of the Samira, 32, who is from Iran, and has a BA de- my’s firing during the operations,” Brazilian population. gree, was referred to the center for help. Those who said the statement. 68.98 Afs know her say that she can also recite the Holy Qu- The security forces also man- One Pound Sterling= ran. aged to discover and confiscate a 99.30Afs Telling her story of addiction and how she came large number of weapons and am- to Afghanistan, Samira said: "After 10 years of mar- munition in the insurgents’ hide- One Euro= riage with an Afghan I came to Afghanistan. I am outs in different provinces, the 77.38 Afs from Iran my husband was from Ghurband." statement mentioned. 1000 Pak Rs= 646Afs This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

Pakistan has asked the Indian gov- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant cies had detained commander of the ber 10, 2014. The detention was bond. Lakhvi submitted the bond ernment to send all 24 witnesses group for masterminding and exe- proscribed militant group Zakiur subsequently extended twice. in April, 2015 and was set free of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack cuting the coordinated attacks on Rehman Lakhvi for 30 days under However, a Lahore High Court from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. to Islamabad, to appear before the Mumbai’s landmarks on Novem- Section 3 of the Maintenance of (LHC) bench declared his contin- Six other accused are lodged in anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the ber 26, 2008 that left 160-plus Public Order by the Punjab gov- ued detention under MPO illegal the Adiala Jail for over six years in JAIPUR, INDIA: A woman was came to rescue her. They also con- federal capital. people dead. ernment immediately after the last year and ordered his release, connection with planning and exe- burnt to death by her brothers for ducted the funeral on the same night “The Foreign Office has writ- Earlier, law enforcement agen- ATC granted him bail on Decem- subject to a Rs2 million surety cuting the Mumbai attack. marrying a man belonging to a dif- to destroy evidence,” he said. ten to the Indian government ask- ferent caste, police said on Sun- Kunwar’s mother-in-law how- ing it to send all 24 witnesses to day, in the latest incident of a so- ever alerted the police who reached Pakistan for recording statements called honour killing in India. the spot and doused the funeral in the trial court in the Mumbai Rama Kunwar, 30, had eloped pyre in order to collect evidence. attack case,” India’s news wire ser- with her lover eight years ago and One of Kunwar’s brothers and vice, Press Trust of India (PTI), returned to her village in western six other men have been arrested. quoted chief prosecutor Chaudhry Rajasthan state on Friday, hoping Authorities are still searching for Azhar as saying on Sunday. her family had forgiven her for an unspecified number of suspects, Mumbai attacks: India, US marrying against their wishes. Singh added. urge Pakistan to bring perpetrators But her still enraged brothers Honour killings – where cou- to justice barged in as she was visiting her ples are targeted because their fam- The prosecution chief said the in-laws’ house and dragged her ilies or communities disapprove of ATC has already completed re- outside before setting her on fire their relationships – have been car- cording the statements of all Paki- as other villagers watched. ried out for centuries in India, es- stani witnesses in the case. “She thought that her parents pecially in rural areas. “Now the ball is in India’s would now accept her but as soon They are carried out by close court. The Indian government as her brothers came to know that relatives or village elders to pro- should send all Indian witnesses she was in the village, they rushed tect what is seen as the family’s of the Mumbai case to Pakistan to to that house and dragged her out,” reputation and pride in a heredi- record their statements so that the Brijran Singh, a senior administra- tary-based caste system. trial could further move ahead,” tive officer of Dungarpur district, India’s Supreme Court in 2011 Azhar, who is also a special pros- told AFP. ruled those involved in honour kill- ecutor of the Federal Investigation “She cried for help but no one ings should face the death penalty. Agency (FIA), said. Last month, the ATC had di- rected the probe body to present all the 24 Indian witnesses in court to record their statements. The court had also ordered to bring back the boats allegedly used by Ajmal Kasab and other militants on the grounds that it is case prop- erty and should be duly examined. India had accused the banned Pakistan must not play in Pakistan frees 87 Indian fishermen KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday Dharmasala: released 87 Indian fishermen held for violating its territorial waters Imran Khan and officials said a similar number would be freed later this month. “We have total 536 Indian fish- ermen in prison and today we re- leased 87 of them while 86 more will be released on 20th of this month,” deputy superintendent of Bangladesh arrests three Karachi’s Landhi prison, Shakir Shah, told AFP. Shah said those released Sun- suspected militants day had been in jail for more than two and half years. They were DHAKA : Bangladesh’s elite anti- petrol bombs and jihadi books terrorism unit detained on Sunday were also found in their posses- Former Pakistan skipper and Pa- freed after verification of their trav- el documents sent by Indian au- three suspected members of a mil- sion, he added. kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) thorities. itant group believed to be behind The group is believed to be chairman Imran Khan has warned The Indians boarded a train to a spate of recent attacks in the behind attacks such as the bomb- the Pakistan cricket team against the eastern border city of Lahore south Asian country. ings of a Shi'ite shrine and the kill- playing in the Indian city of in a journey arranged by Edhi foun- Muslim-majority Bangladesh ing of two foreigners. Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh dation. has seen a rise in Islamist violence Islamic State has claimed re- state, where they are scheduled Edhi foundation officials said in which liberal activists, mem- sponsibility for some of the at- to play arch-rivals India in the they gave the Indians gifts and oth- bers of minority Muslim sects tacks, including the killing of a upcoming World T20 fixture on er necessities for their journey. and other religious groups have Hindu priest last month, but the been targeted. government has denied the mili- March 19. Indian and Pakistani fishermen are frequently detained for illegal The detainees were members tant group has a presence in Bang- “I think Pakistan must not go fishing since the Arabian Sea bor- of the banned Jamaat-ul-Muja- ladesh. At least five militants of there [Himachal Pradesh] as the der is not clearly defined and many hideen Bangladesh and were ar- Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen have been state’s chief minister has given an boats lack the technology to fix rested in a raid conducted in the killed in shootouts since Novem- irresponsible and hateful state- their precise location. northwestern district of Rajsha- ber, as security forces stepped up ment against Pakistan,” Imran said Last week Pakistani maritime hi, said Rumman Mahmud, a dep- a crackdown on Islamist militants in an interview to a private TV security forces detained 20 Indian uty director of the Rapid Action seeking to make the moderate channel on Sunday. fishermen and impounded their The fishermen often languish in jail even after serving their terms, as poor diplomatic ties between the Battalion. Muslim nation of 160 million a Imran feared that the crowd four boats. two arch-rivals mean fulfilling bureaucratic requirements can take a long time. Sixteen crude bombs, seven sharia-based state. would be too hostile for the na- tional cricket team, which could face serious security threats. “I am disappointed that politicians Sri Lanka brings back war-time measures to fight gangs in India are spreading hate to gain Sri Lanka’s police have re-intro- Even the permanent check points at key entry points to the city had been removed several years ago. political mileage,” he said, claim- duced war-time road blocks and The new government which came to power in January last year removed the last remaining check point at the entrance to the former war zone as a sign of normality. ing he would never visit the place random checks on vehicles follow- However, the new police measure brought back memories of war-time Colombo when freedom of movement was curtailed due to frequent stops for security checks. after such statements were issued. ing a surge in gang-related shoot- At least 100,000 people were killed in the 37-year separatist war which ended after a major offensive by the military. Himachal Pradesh Chief Min- ings in the capital. ister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday More than 100 police stations had written a letter to the union in Colombo and its suburbs have home minister stating that his gov- been asked to erect snap blocks, a common practice during the is- ernment cannot provide security land’s separatist war that ended for the match. nearly seven years ago, police The chief minister had also spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said war veterans of the state did said. not want the Indo-Pak match to “The objective is to prevent be held in Dharamsala. “They are serious crime and drug smuggling not opposing the holding of as well as to catch those commit- matches. They are against the Pa- ting serious crime,” he said. kistan team playing in Himachal Gunasekera said there was a surge in drug smuggling and shoot- Pradesh,” Singh had said. ings that prompted the authorities A cloud hangs over the mar- to take extraordinary measures. quee match with Himachal At least three people were shot Pradesh’s ex-servicemen protest- dead and many more wounded in ing against the game in the wake Colombo in the past week in what of January 2 Pathankot terror at- police said was gang-related vio- tacks. lence. A day earlier, Indian Home Unidentified gunmen had Minister Rajnath Singh said cen- opened fire on a prison bus and wounded a suspect who was be- tral paramilitary forces would be ing taken back to jail after a court provided to ensure security at the hearing in the capital last week. March 19 match amidst uncertain- Another suspect on bail was ty. “If the [Himachal Pradesh] shot dead at home while a woman chief minister asks for security was shot and wounded outside the forces, we will provide,” he said. main prison in Colombo Saturday Indian radical groups have of- after she visited her jailed husband. ten called for breaking off cricket- Gunasekera said 10 special ing ties with Pakistan. units were also established to crack down on gang activity that had in- In 1999, protesters from Hin- creased in recent weeks. du extremist group Shiv Sena had Sri Lankan authorities had dis- dug up the pitch in New Delhi’s mantled road blocks and stopped Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium to pro- vehicle checks after the end of the test a tour by Pakistan, though decades-long Tamil separatist war the game was unaffected. in May 2009. Bangladesh seeks Teesta water pact with India

After the the resolution of the land dia-Bangladesh dialogue” here on and important issue” in Bang- now in India’s court,” Mr. Rizvi. boundary and maritime issues, Friday. ladesh-India relations. Mr. Alam, the State Minister, Bangladesh is now looking up to Referring to the pending wa- “In fact, we are enjoying the said Bangladesh had “fully deliv- India for an “immediate signing” ter deal, which the Congress and best of relations with India. It has ered by undertaking specific mea- of the Teesta water-sharing accord, BJP-led governments failed to sign now reached a new height, set a sures to address India’s security which the two governments had due to objections from West Ben- new paradigm,” Mr. Ali said. concerns”. agreed over four years ago. gal Chief Minister Mamata Ban- Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s “With more and more dedicat- The demand for early signing erjee, Mr. Ali said the settlement International Affairs Adviser ed institutional mechanisms being of the pending deal was made by of the land boundary issue showed Gowher Rizvi said recently there put in place, we are having better, Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood that “anything is possible if polit- will be “no new negotiation” over targeted and coordinated action in Ali and State Minister for Foreign ical will is there”. He mentioned the signing of the pending Teesta various sectors of security. And the Affairs Shahriar Alam at the “In- that water was “a very sensitive water sharing deal. “The issue is cooperation will continue,” he said. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief Saudi, France urge ‘credible Libya’s future threat- Syria ened by ‘terrifying’ ISIS: UN chief solution’ Saudi Arabia and France stressed the need for a credible political UN Secretary General Ban Ki- Europe. 'Severe action' urged solution to the Syrian crisis as the moon has warned that the fu- Greek authorities said only only way to permanently restore ture of Libya, and the stability about 180 people crossed the bor- peace and fight terrorism. of the whole Sahel region, is at der between 6am on Friday and In a joint communiqué issued stake as it faces the “terrifying the same time on Saturday morn- at the conclusion of the visit to threat” of ISIS. ing. "The former Yugoslav repub- France by Crown Prince Muham- But he warned internation- lic needs to open immediately to mad Bin Naif, deputy premier and al powers not to “stoke the borders and the European Union interior minister, the two sides fires of conflict” in the country. needs to implement severe action stressed support for the cessation Ban left Mauritania on Sat- against the countries that are clos- of hostilities reiterating that the urday and headed to Algeria as ing borders today, whether they groups which have been named by part of a tour of West and North are members of the European the Security Council are the only Africa. Union or candidate members," parties excluded from the truce. While meeting Mauritanian Tzitzikostas said. "This is unac- They also stressed the need for leaders, including President ceptable what they are doing." allowing unlimited and immediate Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Tzitzikostas said the region humanitarian aid to help all Syri- Prime Minister Yahya Ould needed the emergency measures - ans. Hademine, in the capital or alternatively for the law to be The two sides discussed pos- Nouakchott on Friday he said amended - so that regional author- sible ways to strengthen interna- he was “deeply concerned about ities can obtain the necessary emer- tional security and stability. They the situation in Libya”. gency supplies and food to sup- reaffirmed their commitment to the Chaos has engulfed Libya port the refugees and improve their international coalition against ISIS since the 2011 NATO-backed living conditions. and lauded all efforts to achieve ouster of dictator Muammar He also called on the govern- stability in the region, including the Qaddafi and rival administra- ment to provide a comprehensive formation of an anti-terrorism Is- tions are being urged to sign up plan on how to handle the crisis. lamist alliance. to a UN-brokered national uni- The EU and Turkey - the tran- The Kingdom and France also ty government to help restore sit country for refugees heading to expressed willingness to strength- stability. Greece - will hold a summit on en bilateral cooperation to combat The internationally recog- Monday to discuss the refugee cri- causes of extremism, racism and nized government is based in sis. "We are expecting Turkey to sectarianism, eliminating the sourc- the far east of the North Afri- A regional governor has called on "It's a huge humanitarian cri- 18,000 refugees elsewhere in of Lesbos and Chios, the Greek start finally doing what it should es of terror financing and curbing can country. the Greek government to declare a sis. I have asked the government Greece will eventually arrive at the coastguard reported. be doing for months now and we all forms of violence whether eth- The ISIS group and other state of emergency for the area to declare the area in a state of border. The neighbouring former Yu- also expect our European partners nic or communal. extremist organizations have surrounding the Idomeni border emergency," Tzitzikostas said dur- Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Ha- goslav republic of Macedonia has to start receiving refugees in their The two sides stressed the exploited the power vacuum, crossing where thousands of refu- ing a visit to Idomeni on Saturday mid, reporting from Idomeni, said: stopped all but a trickle of Iraqi countries," Tzitzikostas said. importance of reducing violence making gains along the oil-rich gees are stranded due to border re- to distribute aid to the Red Cross "Once it is in place - and that will and Syrian refugees from crossing, "There needs to be a propor- and extremism through action at coastal regions and triggering strictions along the route towards and other non-governmental or- not be before Monday - it would following similar restrictions by tional distribution between the the political, intellectual, and se- concern among Western nations Western Europe. ganisations. mean there is a release of emergen- countries further north on the route countries." The refugee camp at curity levels. over jihadists controlling terri- About 13,000-14,000 people "This cannot continue for cy funds, first 200,000 euros, to to western Europe. Idomeni has a capacity of about They also expressed the de- tory just 300 kilometers (185 are trapped in Idomeni, while an- much longer." help out in this camp, provide more The moves have caused a huge 2,000 and has dramatically over- sire to develop new areas of bilat- miles) from Europe. other 6,000-7,000 are being housed Aid agencies have expanded tents, food, blankets and facilities. bottleneck in Greece, whose is- flowed, with new arrivals daily eral cooperation for the promotion “There are alarming reports in refugee camps around the region, the Idomeni camp as new arrivals There is no running water here." lands' proximity to the Turkish setting up small tents along the of investments and also reaffirmed of widespread human rights vi- according to Apostolos Tzitziko- cause more overcrowding. How- Up to 1,000 more refugees ar- coast has made it the preferred railway tracks next to the camp their commitment to achieve olations, including serious abus- stas, governor of Central Mace- ever, living conditions are deterio- rived on Saturday in the Greek port entry point for refugees and other and spilling out into surrounding progress in many bilateral es that may amount to war donia province. rating and it is feared another of Piraeus from the Aegean islands migrants seeking better lives in fields. projects, during the 3rd session of crimes,” Ban said in his com- the joint committee to be held in ments Friday. Paris in April under the chairman- “All those with influence ship of the Crown Prince and the must use it to calm the situa- French Minister of Foreign Affairs tion and stop the fighting. It is and International Development. utterly irresponsible for any The two sides also stressed outside player to stoke the their full support for the Iraqi gov- fires,” he added. ernment in its efforts to find a last- Ban said that his special ing political solution to the crisis representative Martin Kobler through a national reconciliation “is facilitating talks on a nation- Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said program that includes all compo- al unity government” as “we Saturday the kingdom will keep nents of Iraqi society. face the terrifying scourge of French military supplies previous- They reaffirmed support for Daesh (ISIS) expanding in Lib- ly intended for Lebanon under a the Arab coalition in Yemen, the ya and beyond its borders.” $3 billion aid program, as Riyadh legitimate authorities in the coun- Delays would only worsen the toughens its stance against Hezbol- try as well as the work done by dire humanitarian needs, he lah. Special Envoy of the UN Secre- warned, adding that “Libya’s Last month the oil-rich Gulf tary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh future is at stake” and “the re- state halted the program in pro- Ahmed and expressed their grave verberations echo far”. Success test against Hezbollah, the Shiite concern at the deteriorating human- in stabilizing Libya would also militant group fighting in support itarian situation. benefit the whole Sahel region of Syria's regime - which Saudi The two sides stressed their and “our world” in general, he opposes. support for the unity, security and added. "We didn't stop the contract. stability of Lebanon through offi- It's just going to Saudi Arabia, not cial institutions, particularly the to Hezbollah," Saudi Foreign Min- army. They stressed the need to Veteran Sudan Islam- ister Adel al-Jubeir said at a news elect a president as soon as possi- ist Hassan Turabi conference in Paris. ble. "We have a situation where On the Palestinian issue, the laid to rest Lebanon's decisions have been hi- two countries agreed on the need jacked by Hezbollah. The con- to resume the Israeli-Palestinian Senior Sudanese officials joined tracts will be completed but the peace process. Saudi Arabia ex- some 3,000 mourners on Sun- clients will be the Saudi military." pressed support for the French day at the funeral of veteran On Wednesday the six-mem- initiative to hold an international Islamist leader Hassan Turabi, ber Gulf Cooperation Council de- conference on this issue. Crown an ally turned outspoken critic clared Hezbollah - which has law- regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia in Syria. Last week Riyadh upped Prince Muhammad made a two- of the regime. makers in the Lebanese parliament deteriorate. measures against the group, freez- day official visit to France on Police were out in force as - a "terrorist" group in the latest Gulf monarchies had already ing assets and prohibiting dealings March 3-4 at the invitation of Turabi’s shrouded body was The chief of the US-led anti-ISIS going to accelerate,” McGurk said step against the organisation as ties sanctioned Hezbollah in 2013 in with three Lebanese nationals and French President Francois Hol- laid to rest in the Burri ceme- coalition on Saturday announced at the press conference, using an between its main backer Iran and reprisal for its armed intervention four companies. lande. tery in the east of the capital. plans to seize Iraq’s second larg- acronym for ISIS. Mourners from his Popu- est city of Mosul from ISIS, which “Daesh is losing; as they lose lar Congress Party, many of has been held by the militants since we focus increasingly on stabili- them wearing traditional robes June 2014, describing the militant zation,” he added, referring to plans Libya health minister demands release of frozen funds and turbans, paraded banners group as “losing.” being made to rehabilitate and po- The health minister in Libya’s in- Libyan money,” he said. bearing his photograph and The operation’s current strat- lice cities recaptured from mili- ternationally recognized govern- Oakley urged “the internation- paying tribute to his life. egy is to cut the main road con- tants. ment on Friday demanded the re- al community to intervene” to help First Vice President Bakri necting Mosul to the ISIS-strong- ISIS has come under pressure lease of Libyan funds frozen unblock these funds. “This is a Hassan Saleh was among sev- hold city of Raqqa in Syria, the from air raids and ground forces abroad, saying the situation in his humanitarian responsibility,” he eral members of the government coalition’s US special envoy Brett actions by various parties in both violence-ridden country was “dra- said. who attended the ceremony but McGurk said at a press conference countries, but they still hold large matic”. Chaos has engulfed Libya since President Omar al-Bashir was in the capital Baghdad. tracts of land. “The health situation in Libya the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of absent after flying out to Jakar- The ground operation will see McGurk’s announcement is dramatic. We are currently un- dictator Muammar Qaddafi, and ta for an Islamic summit that the participation of both the Iraqi comes despite Iraq’s defense min- able to buy what is needed to treat rival administrations are being opens on Monday. Army forces and Peshmerga, the ister saying that the battle to re- the sick and wounded,” health urged to sign up to a UN-brokered Bashir visited Turabi’s Kurdish forces from the autono- take Mosul was scheduled later this minister Reida el-Oakley said at a national unity government to help family on Saturday evening to mous Iraqi Kurdistan to the north. year. press conference at the UN mis- restore stability. offer his condolences on the 84- McGurk also said ISIS is los- ISIS militants captured Mosul sion’s headquarters in Tunis. The internationally recognized year-old’s death from a heart ing a battle against forces arraigned in a shock 2014 offenses after the “It’s ridiculous that Libya has government in which Oakley is a attack earlier in the day. against if from many sides in Iraq Iraqi army fled the city. to endure financial difficulties in minister is based in the far east of and Syria and the focus would turn The Iraqi Army deserting order to ensure supplies of medi- the country, while an Islamist mi- China's President Xi: to stabilizing cities seized back Mosul has led to the rise of the cines for its people when billions litia-backed administration oper- from them. Shiite-dominated volunteer forces of dollars are blocked” abroad, he ates in the capital Tripoli. Taiwan never to McGurk, however, declined to called the Popular Mobilization said. The representative of the put a timeline on when the group Units (PMU). The units were Oakley said even just “one World Health Organization in Lib- 'split' again would be defeated or when Mosul formed after a religious edict by percent” of such blocked funds ya, Sayed Jaffar Hussain, was also and Raqqa, the main cities under the influential spiritual leader of would be enough to buy “medi- at the press conference and said its control in Iraq and Syria respec- Iraq’s Shiite majority, Grand Aya- China will never allow Taiwan cines for Libyans for a year”. $50 million in immediate funding tively, would be retaken. tollah Ali al-Sistani, calling on Ira- In Tunisia, for example, he said was needed. to be "split" off from the rest McGurk met in Baghdad Iraqi qis to fight ISIS. of the country ever again, Pres- there were some $295 million in “The world is interested in officials including Prime Minister The PMU have been effective frozen funds, and deplored the fact conflict zones in Iraq and Syria but ident Xi Jinping was quoted as Haider al-Abadi who said in De- in snatching from ISIS areas such saying on Sunday - a strong that approaches to the Tunisian forgets about Libya. It is a crisis forced the closure or partial breakdown of 60 to 70 percent of its hospi- cember that 2016 would be a year as Tikrit, the hometown of late central bank for more than a year that must be addressed. Children tals and that the country needed $3 million (2.7 million euros) per day to warning to the island against of “final victory” over the group President Saddam Hussein. How- any moves towards indepen- had yielded nothing. are not vaccinated and women give buy medicine. in Iraq. ever, the units have been accused “Waiting for the establishment birth in their homes,” he said. Last October, the United Nations said that in a country of 6.3 mil- dence. China considers self- "Daesh is feeling pressure now of exacting brutal on Sunnis after ruled and democratic Taiwan a of a consensus government is a false In January, Oakley said that lion, “2.44 million people are in need of protection and some form of from all simultaneous directions retaking territory from the mili- pretext used by countries holding persistent fighting in Libya had humanitarian assistance”. wayward province to be and that’s going to continue .. that’s tants. brought under its control by force if necessary. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Tai- wan in 1949 after the Chinese Saudi FM reiterates: Assad must go at start of transitional process civil war. Beijing has repeated- ly warned against any moves The Saudi foreign minister said roadmap foresees a transitional leaves at the beginning of the pro- lations. The Saudi minister said stressing shortfalls in humanitari- towards independence since Saturday that Syrian President authority by the middle of this cess, not at the end.” there was no possibility that As- an aid and breaches of the cease- January's landslide win by Tsai Bashar al-Assad must go at the year and elections by mid-2017. Syria peace talks set for March sad could remain in power. fire implemented a week ago. Ing-wen and her Democratic start of a transitional political pro- “Assad has to leave at the be- 9 will begin the following day with “The Syrian people have spo- “Our position is to support Progressive Party (DPP) in cess and not at its end, Al Arabiya ginning of the process,” the Saudi participants due to arrive in Gene- ken when they took up arms them 200 percent,” said Jubeir. Taiwan's presidential and par- News Channel reported. minister, whose country backs the va over several days, UN envoy against Bashar al-Assad and their “We don’t question. We may ad- liamentary elections. At the an- It is not the first time Adel al- Syrian opposition, told reporters Staffan de Mistura said earlier Sat- message is very very clear: he is vise, express our views to them, nual meeting of congress, Xi Jubeir stressed that Assad must in Paris. Referring to the sequence urday. not going to be their president... but we support them,” he added. made apparent reference to the cede power. He had also previous- of events, he said: “There is a tran- A first round of talks in early they have already decided with Jubeir made his announcement Qing dynasty's loss of Taiwan ly urged for the implementation of sitional body, power shifts from February was cut short amid in- their feet, with their guns,” he said. after the Saudi Crown to Japan in 1895, who then Geneva I peace communique, Assad to the transitional body, and tensifying Russian air strikes in Discussing Syrian opposition Prince Mohamed bin Nayef ruled the island as a colony drawn up at an international con- then he goes.” Syria in support of Assad's forc- reluctance to travel to Geneva to ended his visit in France. until the end of World War II. ference in 2012 in the Swiss city. After that “the transitional es. resume peace talks, he admitted The crown prince had met with Inside Story - A new era in Tai- While the communique does body drafts a constitution, pre- But a fragile ceasefire drawn that “they can't go into talks emp- French President Francois Hol- wan-China relations? not mention Assad’s role in Syria, pares for elections. Some are argu- up by Russia and the United States ty-handed.” lande on Friday to discuss “anti- "We will resolutely contain Damascus grudgingly accepted the ing that no, Bashar leaves at the and backed by the UN Security Syria’s main opposition lead- terrorism” 'Taiwan independence' seces- principles of the document as it elections in 18 months, that’s not Council that entered into force on er Riad Hijab said efforts and ways to boost se- sionist activities. endorses political transition. how we think. February 27 is now in its second Friday that conditions were curity cooperation between the A UN-brokered international “For us it is very clear, he week, despite accusations of vio- not yet right for talks to resume, two countries. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY. MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

We a r e a n a t ion a l in st it u t ion a n d n ot t h e voice of a gov t or a p r iva t e or ga n iza t ion AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Abdul Saboor Sarir Phone No: +93-772364666 E-mail: [email protected] If the Afghan civil war worsens, Pakistan’s allies China and the US will Email: [email protected] lose faith in Islamabad’s intentions. www.afghanistantimes.af By Ahmed Rashid Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi Advisory editorial board Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal Graphic-Designers: Edriss Akbari and Bilal Yusufi Marketing & Advertising: Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press The constitution says

Article 148 Article One Hundred Forty-Eight: At the termination of the state of emergency, measures adopted under Article One Hundred Forty-Four and One Hundred Forty- Five of this Constitution shall be void immediately.

A Taliban fighter sits on his motorcycle adorned with a Taliban flag on a street in Kunduz, Afghanistan [AP] The next round of four-party talks munity are concerned is Kabul first capture hundreds of abad’s intentions. At stake for Pa- to be held in Islamabad on Mon- Pakistan’s failure to put real pres- Pakistan Taliban hiding out in Af- kistan is also a $46bn infrastruc- day could well be the last if Paki- sure on the Taliban to reduce the ghanistan’s eastern provinces and ture investment by China over 10 stan fails to deliver the Taliban to level of violence and consider talks. regularly launching attacks from years and continued International the table. According to a statement The Taliban leadership lives in there on the Pakistan army. Monetary Fund and World Bank released by the Taliban on Satur- Pakistan; its supplies and many However, the reality is that loans for its crisis-hit economy. day, the group is refusing to sit in of its recruits are generated from these provinces - Nangarhar, Ku- Another danger is that Ghani A hard nut to crack for direct peace talks with the Af- the 2.5 million Afghan refugees still nar and Badakhshan - are barely is fast loosing support at home ghan government in the framework living in Pakistan; and its fundrais- under the control of the Afghan from the majority of Afghans who There has been no end to the inconclusive debates on future of the of the Quadrilateral Coordination ing, which includes control of the government. are angry at his trust of Pakistan. Afghan peace process when Kabul, Beijing, Washington and Is- Group (QCG) due to the deploy- narcotics trade, is also partly gen- Moreover, the Pakistan Tali- If the talks fail to deliver, Ghani ment of US troops in Afghanistan erated through Pakistani militants. ban is being hosted by the Afghan could face political threats under- lamabad established the four-nation consultative group. There is and the ongoing air strikes. Despite the claims of the gov- Taliban and al-Qaeda. Without mining his presidency. no difference between results of the debates and fate of the peace China, the United States, Af- ernment of Prime Minister Nawaz such hosting, the Pakistan Taliban A new US commander, Lieu- process. Both are uncertain. However, the nation which rendered ghanistan and Pakistan have held Sharif and the army to be fighting could not survive on Afghan soil. tenant-General John Nicholson, multiple rounds of talks, which all terrorist groups, the fact is that Yet, until now, Pakistan has been has just taken over the command matchless sacrifices in the foreign imposed war is not concerned have so far failed to convince the the Afghan Taliban have been left satisfied as long as the Afghan Tal- of 13,000 NATO forces, which about outcome of the debates. They know that the opinions are Taliban to take part and talk peace well alone in their Pakistani strong- iban in Pakistan remain dormant include 9,800 US troops in Af- with the Kabul government. holds in Quetta and Peshawar since and do not attack Pakistani forces. ghanistan. biased at some points and don’t reflect the official stance. For If there is another failure, the 2001, when they retreated into A successful outcome in these He recently told members of Afghans it is the future of this country which matters. The future consequences could be fearful for Pakistan after being defeated by talks would lead to a serious dia- the Senate Armed Services Com- of the country hinges on success of the four-nation planned Af- the entire region - Afghan Presi- the Americans. logue between the Taliban and mittee that the security situation dent Ashraf Ghani will face a vi- Pakistani admissions Kabul, an eventual ceasefire and a in Afghanistan was “deteriorating”. ghan reconciliation process. cious political backlash at home, a Recently, for the first time, a detailed political roadmap as to More US Special Forces, Earlier, the government was blamed for absence of a clear road stepped-up Taliban offensive in Pakistani official admitted as much how the Afghan Taliban could be drones and aircraft have been de- the spring that could capture a in Washington. integrated into the government. ployed to southern Afghanistan, map to engage the militants in healthy and conclusive talks to settle major province within weeks, and “We have some influence over Such hopes have sustained the which faces the greatest Taliban the conflict. Now we have to blame the Taliban because they do a collapse of international trust them [Taliban] because their lead- talks so far but will not for much threat. with Pakistan, which has played ership is in Pakistan and they get longer if there are no results. Pakistan’s army chief General not want to show flexibility. In a statement on Saturday the insur- both sides in the Taliban game. some medical facilities,” said Sar- Afghanistan is facing a multi- Raheel Sharif has pledged to fight gent group ruled out participation in the direct talks. The group Domino effect taj Aziz, Pakistan’s adviser on for- dimensional civil war with the Af- terrorism on all fronts, not to be stressed on its demand to reconcile with the government. They The Taliban have met with the eign affairs. ‘’Their families are ghan Taliban now being aided by selective towards groups the army Kabul regime only once - last July here. We can use those levers to groups such as al-Qaeda, the Is- once favoured, and to foster peace made three demands. Two of their demands could not be met - but those talks quickly collapsed pressurise them to say, ‘Come to lamic Movement of Uzbekistan, in Afghanistan. The army has al- especially withdrawal of foreign troops from the country. The rea- because news of the death of Tali- the table.’’’ Chechens, and multiple Pakistani ready done much to reduce terror- ban leader Mullah Mohammed Such admissions have been groups. Morale is low among Af- ism at home by going after terror- son is obvious. Looking at the current security situation, one can Omar two years earlier was re- made in private before to the Amer- ghan officials, troops and com- ist groups in the south and north imagine the post-foreign troops’ withdrawal period if the peace leased. icans and the Chinese, but never manders with many officials try- of the country, including the Paki- talks failed. Afghan government will not be in position to lock Since then, there have been publicly. What is less certain is ing to secure deals with the Tali- stan Taliban. Most Pakistanis several meetings of the QCG aim- whether this signals that Pakistan ban. want to believe General Sharif that horns with the militants on its own and defeat them in the battle- ing to bring the Taliban into the will now put real pressure on the ISIL recruitment the army is serious about elimi- field. peace talks. Instead, the Taliban Taliban, such as cutting off Tali- In the eastern provinces bor- nating all forms of terrorism. That have launched a wave of devastat- ban supplies into Afghanistan or dering Pakistan, the Afghan Tali- must include getting rid of the Af- In modern days, war is not fought by numbers but by technolo- ing and demoralising attacks on even giving the Taliban leadership ban and the Afghan army are also ghan Taliban and sending them gy and well-thought military strategies. Afghan government has Afghan forces and civilians a deadline to leave Pakistan, which separately fighting ISIL, which is back to Afghanistan as part of a throughout the winter. would force them into talks with trying to recruit from among dis- peace plan. Success or failure of none of these. The military strategies have resulted in fall of Kun- Now, the Taliban are on the Kabul. satisfied Taliban members. ISIL these talks could determine the duz City. The problem does not end here but the Taliban also have verge of capturing the southern It is also unclear whether also has a presence in Pakistan, future stability of South and Cen- strong presence in Helmand. Out of 14 districts, the militants have province of Helmand - and if that Aziz’s admission is a sign of Paki- which could increase if these talks tral Asia. The outcome will be crit- falls, there could be a domino ef- stan’s helplessness, frustration or fail to bring results. ical. Ahmed Rashid is the author presence in 10 districts of the restive province. fect, which would see more south- even continued refusal to tackle the If the civil war dramatically of five books on Afghanistan, Since positions of the Afghan government and the militants are ern provinces fall into their hands. Taliban. Over the past few months, worsens, it would also force close Pakistan and Central Asia. His The crux of the crisis as far as Pakistan has taken a belligerent line allies of Pakistan, such as China latest book is “Pakistan on the clear. Now it is up to the consultative group to revamp the stalled Kabul and the international com- vis-a-vis Kabul, insisting that and the US, to lose trust in Islam- Brink”. talks through pressure over the Taliban or launch a comprehensive cleanup operation. The coordination group had already hinted to take military action against the fanatics but it would be a difficult task because all members would not agree on this especially the one which is providing shelter to Taliban. To eliminate radical forces, Intentional barbarism it is necessary to build consensus over the group level. Confusion and disagreement would mean utter failure of the peace talks and beginning of a new era of violence and chaos. Hopes of the nation are already fading. The government shall clear its stances that whether it is able to pursue the talks with help of the four nations or it has decided to fight to the bitter end. Delay in the decision will erode the public support for the government further. Subscription Rates Categories Fee Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 3600 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 1800 Afghanistan Times seeks the Afghanistan names, addresses of your International Organization $200 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF.

MONDAY. MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES America, Trump style, a frightening place By DAVID CRISP Our long national nightmare must uninhibited and robust public de- “ridiculous, absurd, laughable.” finally come to an end. It is time to bate on matters of broad concern f& He threatened to file a $25 In an increasingly volatile Turkey, the takeover of Zaman marks the latest blow impeach President Trump and put was so important that it should million suit against the organizer a stop to his failed presidency. not be circumscribed because of of a campaign to have Trump re- in the battle between Erdogan and Gulen. Sorry. Just practicing. innocent mistakes. moved as a celebrity spokesman It is interesting, though, that So how would Trump like to for Macy’s department store be- By David Lepeska Donald Trump is the only serious change this? One way to consider cause of Trump’s alleged sexist presidential candidate I can think the matter is to examine defama- behavior and climate change deni- How fast the tide turns in Turkey. in recent decades placed many of become vehemently and predict- article for which he and his col- of who has ever made a pledge to tion suits that Trump himself has al. Just over a week ago, journalists its members in key positions in ably anti-government, with nearly league had been arrested). commit high crimes and misde- filed or threatened to file. Presum- f& He threatened to sue rap- and free speech advocates here Turkey’s police and judiciary. every story heaping criticism on Whether or not Dundar is Gu- meanors part of his campaign plat- ably, he thinks the law should have per Mac Miller over a song called celebrated the release from jail of Personal vendetta Ankara. lenist is immaterial here. What form. allowed him to win all of these cas- “Donald Trump.” He has said he would water- es. So here’s a sampling: f& He threatened to sue co- Can Dundar and Erdem Gul, the The long and winding history No surprise, then, that it had matters is that the government has board—and worse—terror sus- f& He sued the author of a median Rosie O’Donnell after she editor-in-chief and Ankara bureau of Erdogan and Gulen has been long been in government seen it fit to lump him in with the pects, an almost certain violation book that cited anonymous sourc- attacked him for his business bank- chief, respectively, of the daily recounted elsewhere. Suffice it to crosshairs. Back in December nefarious coup plotters. Thus, his of international and U.S. law. He es who claimed that Trump’s ruptcies, multiple marriages and newspaper Cumhuriyet. say that the two are now a bit like 2014, police swarmed Zaman’s recent release from jail marked a also has promised to go after the wealth is far smaller than the bil- “snake-oil salesman” persona. Turkey’s Constitutional Magneto and Professor Xavier of offices and detained editor-in- victory for Gulen; Erdogan had to families of terror suspects, an un- lions he claims. Trump’s $5 bil- “I look forward to taking lots Court had ruled that their arrest the X-Men films: terribly power- chief Ekrem Dumanli and 30 other respond. “I do not respect this disguised ukase aimed at killing lion lawsuit was rejected by a New of money from my nice fat little had violated their rights as jour- ful allies-turned-arch-enemies, journalists. They were later re- ruling,” the president said in innocent people. Jersey appeals court, which held Rosie,” Trump said. He says he will block Mus- that the author had no reason to Are we detecting a pattern nalists. Many believed the deci- dealing body blows from above the leased. This time, the government response to the Constitutional lims from entering the United suspect his sources were inaccu- here? It’s not as if Trump has some sion would start to roll back a gov- fray as their underlings (read: Tur- went all the way. Court’s decision. “I’m not going States. That would surely violate rate. deep-seated devotion to truth tell- ernment crackdown on critical key’s various institutions) sustain By Friday evening, police to abide by it.” the Constitution if we take the f& He sued Tarla Makaeff, the ing. Just last week at the Republi- media that had expanded signifi- the damage. had violently raided the Zaman The takeover of Zaman seems First Amendment prohibition lead plaintiff in a class-action law- can debate, he claimed that the cantly in recent months. “I think Their falling out exploded into offices and detained its managers. less a sign that Turkey’s govern- against laws respecting an estab- suit alleging fraud at Trump Uni- United States has the highest tax- this is a very historic public view in December 2013, Christophe Deloire, secretary-gen- ment has little respect for media lishment of religion to also forbid versity, for defamation. She then es in the world. decision,” Dundar said upon his when Gulenists in the police and eral of the media advocacy group, freedom - this had long been es- laws disrespecting an establish- asked to withdraw from the suit, That is about as far from true release, adding that he was judiciary launched a vast corrup- Reporters Without Borders, called tablished - than yet more evidence ment of religion. fearful that the case would drive as it could possibly be. Of the 33 Trump’s most recent assault her into bankruptcy, but a judge developed countries in the Orga- happy ”there were still judges in tion probe that implicated many the takeover ”ideological and un- that Erdogan will do anything he on the First Amendment came in a ordered Trump to pay $800,000 nization for Economic Co-opera- Turkey”. top officials in the Justice and lawful”, adding: “Erdogan is now can to drive a stake into Gulen and speech in Texas on Friday in which for her legal bills. tion and Development, 30 have Some judges giveth; some ta- Development Party (AKP) gov- moving from authoritarianism to his meddling “parallel structure”. he promised to rewrite libel laws f& He sued a Miss USA con- higher taxes than the United States to make it so that when reporters testant who claimed on her Face- as a percentage of Gross Domes- “write purposely negative and book page that the pageant was tic Product. horrible and false articles, we can “rigged” because finalists were What Trump’s yen to change sue them and win lots of money.” picked in advance. He won an ar- libel laws means was perhaps best As usual, Trump’s remarks bitration award in the case, and she explained in 2011 by his special drew huge applause from the en- later successfully sued her lawyer counsel, Michael Cohen: “It thusiastic Texas crowd. But no for malpractice. means that if somebody does some- matter how much you may hate f& He unsuccessfully sued thing Mr. Trump doesn’t like, I do the press, or how much you love comedian Bill Maher for $5 mil- everything in my power to resolve Trump, it’s worth considering lion after Maher asked Trump to it to Mr. Trump’s benefit.” whether loosening libel laws is a prove that his father was not an It means that Trump believes smart idea. orangutan. that people with deep pockets Trump was vague on the de- Maher was just making a joke should be able to block public crit- tails of exactly how he would about Trump’s birther attacks on icism through endless threats and change the law. Presumably he Barack Obama’s citizenship, but lawsuits that bleed critics dry. It’s would, either by executive fiat or if you have ever looked at a pic- the SLAPP principle of gover- by stacking the Supreme Court, ture of Trump side by side with a nance: Strategic Lawsuits Against overturn New York Times vs. Sul- picture of an orangutan, well … . Public Participation are aimed at livan. f& He threatened to sue the keeping the public quiet while peo- That’s the 1964 Supreme conservative think tank Club for ple with unlimited funds do as they Court decision that requires pub- Growth for running ads pointing wish. lic figures to show “actual malice” out inconsistencies in Trump’s If he becomes president, this in order to recover damages in a past tax positions. column’s opening sentence, which libel suit. Actual malice is defined f& He has threatened to sue is both false and defamatory, and as publishing something known to presidential candidate Ted Cruz is written with unbounded malice, be false or with reckless disregard over negative political ads Cruz has could be grounds for legal action. for the truth. run. First Amendment attorney This is America, Trump style.— The Supreme Court held that Floyd Abrams called the threat (Last Best News) Hezbollah accomplices deserve to be branded terrorists Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Any armed group holding a coun- Lebanon’s political arena. For in- was prepared to share power with try hostage on behalf of a foreign stance, Lebanese presidential Hezbollah, before throwing his state is a traitorous terrorist mili- hopeful Suleiman Franjieh has weight behind Franjieh for presi- tia, not a resistance movement and strongly denounced the terrorist dent. When asked why he would certainly not a legitimate political blacklisting, tweeting: “Hezbollah cooperate with a group deemed party, as Hezbollah has always as a resistance movement makes responsible for his father’s assas- claimed. Its tentacles, stretching Lebanon and the Arabs proud.” sination, he said he was commit- from Tehran, have rendered Leba- The Arabs he refers to share ted to the principle of “innocent non a failed state posing a threat Iran’s ideology and have betrayed until proven guilty.” to the region. their roots by selling their souls to Unlike most other politicians, Given diminishing hope that Persian mullahs. In this case, Hariri did admonish Lebanon for the honorable Lebanese would re- should Franjieh not be classed as a not standing with Riyadh in the claim their country, Gulf Cooper- terrorist supporter? Should parlia- Arab League over the torching of ation Council (GCC) member ment speaker Nabih Berri, who the kingdom’s diplomatic missions keth away. On March 4, a Turkish ernment. all-out despotism.” Next up might be Cumhuriy- states officially declared Hezbol- heads the Amal Movement that is in Iran. Asked why he was now court approved a government In response, Erdogan swore In the days to come, most Feza et, or even bigger prey. In her piece, lah a terrorist group - together with allied with Hezbollah, not be treat- supporting Franjieh for president, takeover of Feza Media Group vengeance on the vast “parallel journalists will likely be replaced Kaplan argues that, in calling for “its leaders, factions and affiliated ed as a collaborator? he said: “For me, better to have a that oversees Zaman, Turkey’s structure” that he believes seeks with folks more willing to toe the the release of Dundar and Gul, organizations” - because of “hos- Amal’s political bureau blast- president that I will maybe have tile acts” in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, ed the GCC announcement and some problems with than a total most widely circulated newspaper, to topple the state. “We will go government line, and Turkey will Turkey’s highest court over- inciting sedition, smuggling weap- emphasized Hezbollah’s ‘creden- void in the presidency.” Cihan, a leading news agency, and after them in their lairs,” he said lose one of its few remaining criti- stepped its bounds. “With this ons and recruiting terrorists. tials’ as a resistance movement. In other words, he has gift- Today’s Zaman, an English-lan- after an election triumph in March cal voices (the transformation is ruling, the Constitutional Court Most Arab states supported However, the only thing it is cur- wrapped Lebanon to be awarded the declaration, but unsurprising- rently resisting is the dislodging of to the other side. It is not better to guage daily with international 2014. moving quickly). proved that it is not a legal and ly Syria and Iraq disapproved be- the barbaric Syrian regime under have a president hand-in-glove reach. And so it has come to pass. Unsurprising move supra-political institution, but a cause they, like Lebanon, are un- direct orders from Tehran. Amal with Hezbollah, Iran and Syria than The takeover marks this gov- After dismissing and reassigning Why kill Zaman now? It goes structure that is ready to make der the Iranian boot. However, the also deserves a place on the GCC’s no president at all. The question is ernment’s biggest blow against tens of thousands of Gulen-linked back to the release of Dundar and political decisions when necessary Tunisian president’s rejection of terrorist listing. whether he will continue negotia- the declaration, and Algeria’s dis- It is crunch time for Lebanon’s tions with Hezbollah or withdraw media freedom, and yet another police and justice officials, the Gul. In a recent column, Hilal Ka- ... a structure that is far from su- association from it, were mystify- political and military decision- based on its terrorist designation. gut-punch in the long-running and AKP has taken aim at Gulen-linked plan laid out the government’s per- pervision and accountability.” ing. Riyadh has rightly said it will makers. Are you with us or against Decision time deeply personal slugfest between media. Last October, the govern- spective: Dundar revealed himself Going by his recent statements, no longer engage in Arab solidarity us? Do you stand with Saudi Ara- If the Lebanese government because it does not exist. bia and its Gulf allies, or with does not back the GCC ruling and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ment snatched the reins of the as a Gulenist insider in late 2013, Erdogan also sees the Constitution- The move follows the Saudi Hezbollah and Iran? issue arrest warrants for Hezbol- and Fethullah Gulen. Koza-Ipek Group, which runs the when he appeared to predict the al Court as problematic, even un- decision to freeze $4 billion in mil- Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor lah’s commanders and funders, it An aging Islamic leader from dailies Bugun and Millet and their coming corruption scandal. constitutional. Perhaps it, too, is itary and security aid to Lebanon, Likewise, the Free Patriotic should be classed as a terrorist abet- Turkey living in self-imposed ex- sister TV stations. He then proved this affiliation, controlled by Pennsylvania and is and GCC governments warning Movement (FPM) and its founder ter. I know that it is not within its their nationals not to travel to there Michel Aoun, who is Hezbollah’s power to make arrests, but at the ile in rural Pennsylvania, Gulen Now comes Zaman, the jewel Kaplan explains, with the Cum- in need of some discipline. for their own safety. Gulf states pick to fill a presidential vacuum very least its position would be oversees a vast, loosely affiliated and centrepiece of the Gulenist huriyet story about trucks dis- David Lepeska is a freelance are also cracking down on known that has endured for almost two clarified. Gulf leaders and their al- organisation that runs thousands media empire. It should be men- patched by Turkey’s intelligence journalist based in Istanbul. His Hezbollah sympathizers and years, has strange loyalties. Ten lies should consider governments of schools, businesses, and media tioned, however, that since the agency supposedly delivering work focuses on Turkey and the funders within their borders. years ago Aoun, a Maronite, signed and individuals standing against These actions could not come soon a political memorandum of under- Hezbollah’s branding as partners outlets around the world and had corruption scandal, Zaman had weapons to jihadis (which is the Middle East. enough. standing with Iran’s proxy in Leb- within the same terrorist frame- Silence through fear anon following 15 years in exile. work. Ironically, while Lebanon’s He said the partnership was There is no room for playing Interior Minister Nohad al-Mach- cemented to build a consensual both sides or holding a middle nouk was quick to reject the GCC’s Lebanese democracy on the basis ground. The same demand should LETTER TO THE EDITOR labelling, last month he said on of transparency, justice and equal- be made to the Lebanese army. Ei- Lebanese channel LBC that terror- ity. He has since blinded his eyes ther it is against the terrorist orga- ist cells were trained in Lebanon to Hezbollah’s crimes. nization, in which case it should under the supervision of Iran’s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, make a public announcement to Revolutionary Guard Corps who characterized Hezbollah as that effect, or it must declare its (IRGC). part of an Iranian system in Leba- alliance with Hezbollah, in which Violence against women Members of those cells were non just weeks ago, has also re- case the army should share the trained by Iranians jointly with jected listing it as a terrorist group. same stamp. The Afghan women going through tough time as they are still experience different kind of violence across the country. The other day, Hezbollah, as we know from in- Jumblatt is a fierce critic of its in- The chief of the Lebanese religious scholars and government official had come under one roof in Kabul, in which they highlighted women’s prestige in Islam. telligence gleaned from the group’s volvement in Syria, and has Armed Forces, Brigadier-General Women should be treated in a manner which should not be in contrary with Islamic teachings, clerics said. Minister of Hajj and Religious spies and agitators arrested in the warned its Secretary General Has- Jean Kahwaji, and his top generals Affairs, Faiz Mohammad Osmani called on religious scholars to put their last-ditch efforts to eliminate violence against women. Islam United Arab Emirates (UAE) and san Nasrallah that his anti-Saudi should affirm their allegiance to the Saudi Arabia. To think Machnouk statements could negatively im- state over the militia, and for once allows women to be engaged in different sectors such as education, health, agricultural and other social activities. The government does not know this is preposter- pact Lebanese expatriates in the rise to the task of protecting the should accelerate steps to end violence against women in the country. Afghan women had suffered a lot during decades of war and ous; either his intelligence-gather- Gulf. Yet when push comes to country from falling. isolation. The related authorities should spare no efforts to ensure safety of women in our society. ing capabilities are sorely lacking, shove, he has declined to back the If not, we are forced to assume Anisa Naweedi, Kabul, Afghanistan or more likely he is afraid to say GCC decision. that the suspicions that the mili- what every Lebanese politician Disappointment tary is serving Hezbollah’s goals knows. The real disappointment is the are correct, in which case com- They are all fearful of being figurehead of the March 14 bloc manders must be deemed terrorist added to Hezbollah’s list of assas- and leader of the Future Party, Saad colluders. sination targets. The Special Tri- Hariri, who until recently was con- Any army proven to be hand- bunal for Lebanon, formed to in- sidered the GCC’s most trusted in-glove with servants of a foreign Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must have the writer’s name and vestigate and try the killers of Lebanese politician. We believed entity deserves to be dismantled former Prime Minister Rafiq Har- he was a lion capable of taking back at the very least. address. You may send your letters to: [email protected] iri, is still waiting for Hezbollah to his homeland. Throughout his self- It is crunch time for Lebanon’s hand over four of its accused mem- imposed exile, his anti-Iranian, political and military decision- bers for trial. anti-Hezbollah rhetoric rarely fal- makers, who have reached a fork Machnouk also revealed that tered. in the road. Are you with us or as of 2015 there were sleeping and On Feb. 14, marking the anni- against us? Do you stand with Sau- active IRGC cells in Saudi Arabia, versary of his father’s assassina- di Arabia and its Gulf allies, or with Disclaimer: the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Ken- tion, he told his followers that un- Hezbollah and Iran? Those are ya, Nigeria, Cyprus and Bulgaria. der no circumstance would Leba- questions the GCC should ask and Terrorist sympathizers non become a province of Iran. His demand answers to before react- The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author(s) Now that Hezbollah’s terror- recent behavior, however, belies ing accordingly. Which path Leba- ist status is etched in stone, GCC that pledge. non takes will decide its destiny, and do not reflect the views or opinions of the Afghanistan Times. leaderships should focus on its col- Just weeks prior, he made the not only for the foreseeable future laborators and appeasers within shocking announcement that he but for generations to come. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

When Boko Haram pledged alle- of the two million people internal- with other militant groups in the giance to ISIS in Iraq and Syria last ly displaced by the conflict to re- wider Sahel region. year, there were fears the deadly turn home. Active threat insurgency in northeast Nigeria 'Marketing label' Some security consultants pre- would take on an international di- Many analysts have long dict Boko Haram in Nigeria could mension. viewed the announced tie-up as this year be reduced to a largely The world's deadliest desig- propaganda for both sides. Boko criminal, regional threat along the nated terrorist organizations -- Haram was at the time struggling lines of the Lord's Resistance Army notorious for the indiscriminate against regional forces and ISIS in central Africa. slaughter of tens of thousands of suffering setbacks to its territorial But with the United States this people -- were now officially ambitions. week including Nigeria on its up- linked. "Nothing has changed in the dated "Worldwide Caution" list, Speculation and concern Boko Haram camp since Shekau's Western governments clearly still mounted about a potential influx declaration," Nigerian security an- view Boko Haram as a serious of foreign fighters to the countries alyst Abdullahi Bawa Wase told threat. surrounding Lake Chad and an es- AFP. US military drones recently calation of a previously localized "It has failed to bring in ISIS began operating from a base in conflict. fighters. It has not attracted ISIS northern Cameroon while the Pen- But 12 months on that hasn't weapons and cash, which many tagon is considering sending mili- happened. If anything, Boko feared would happen. tary trainers to northeast Nigeria. Haram appears a considerably "On the contrary, Boko Haram Nigeria's secret police mean- weaker force and apparently in is weaker than it was before the while announced the arrest of sev- disarray after a year-long military declaration, which is evident from en members of Ansaru, the Boko counter-offensive. the drastic drop in deadly attacks. Haram offshoot that kidnapped Boko Haram leader Abubakar Even the rate of suicide bombings several Westerners and which is Shekau has only been heard from has slowed." more aligned ideologically to Al- twice since his audio message pub- A Nigerian security source said Qaeda. lished on March 7, 2015 pledging ISIS was "only a marketing label The Department of State Ser- an oath to his ISIS counterpart Abu which Boko Haram wants to use vices said it had also arrested an Bakr al-Baghdadi. to deceptively project itself as a ISIS recruiter, two "ISIS agents Nigeria's army has since then formidable terrorist group". operating in Nigeria and the West increasingly claimed crushing Shekau's declaration and the African sub-region" plus four oth- blows against the militants and subsequent re-branding of Boko ers heading to join ISIS. their strongholds plus the libera- Haram as "ISIS West Africa Prov- Six of those detained were said madu Buhari, who has claimed Pierre, of the Modern Security and sub-Saharan fighters operat- "Hence the belief that AQIM (Al- tion of thousands living under Boko ince" or ISWAP caused a reported to be heading or preparing to go to Boko Haram is "technically" de- Consulting Group, said there was ing in Libya are now thought to Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and Haram control. rift in the Boko Haram hierarchy. Libya, where Nigerians are said to feated, has increasingly pointed to no doubt that Boko Haram had have dispersed, different groups in some BH constellation groups are This week, dozens of rebels Few, if any, wanted to go be in the ISIS ranks in territory it lawless Libya as a potential secu- been reaching out to other militant the region have been working to- increasing their collaboration de- reportedly surrendered because of against his word but dissenters controls. rity "time bomb" for Europe and groups for "business and logistics" gether to provide funding, equip- spite BH having officially pledged hunger. Nigeria now wants many have reportedly explored closer ties Nigeria's President Muham- Africa. Focus elsewhere Yan St- in the last year. Since West African ment and personnel, he added. to ISIS," he said in an email. Cultural cafe promotes Israeli home demolitions unity in Lebanon's Tripoli reach record high Ein al-Rashash, occupied West and UN Development Activities "Palestinian herders and farm- Bank - Days after Israeli forces for the occupied ?Palestinian ter- ers are denied access to the lands demolished the Bedouin commu- ritory. "But in Area C, official Is- in close proximity of the base," nity of Ein al-Rashash last month, raeli figures indicate only 1.5 per- ARIJ stated in a recent report. residents were scrambling to re- cent of Palestinian permit appli- "Additionally, the military base build their shelters as heavy rain cations are approved ... So what constantly represented a threat to clouds loomed on the horizon. legal options are left for a law-abid- the lives of the Palestinians living Unlike some Bedouin commu- ing Palestinian?" nearby due to the Israeli army's nities that have been targeted for Area C, which constitutes 60 training." demolition on multiple occasions, percent of the occupied West A spokesperson for the Israeli this was the first time Israeli forc- Bank, is under full Israeli control. government did not immediately es had descended on this small More than 225 illegal Israeli set- respond to Al Jazeera's request for mountain community with bull- tlements and settlement outposts comment on the issue. dozers. are located here, as Israeli authori- Sleiman Zawahra, another res- "They destroyed everything," ties have turned a "blind eye" to ident of the village, said he often resident Fatma Zawahra told Al illegal construction, according to heard explosions going off in the Jazeera. She pointed to a couple Israeli rights group B'Tselem. distance. of spots in a pile of twisted metal, Last month, the EU Missions "The Bedouin life is a peace- wood and tarp on the ground. in Jerusalem and Ramallah released ful one," he said. "We are farmers; "This used to be our bathroom, and a statement expressing "deep con- we raise animals, we take care of there was my kitchen." cern at an unprecedented number our children and teach them our They told us to leave, but they of demolitions and confiscations way of life, but it has become so didn't say where. Where should we of Palestinian structures in Area C hard to continue like this. Some- go with all these women and chil- in recent weeks". The statement times it is so quiet in the moun- dren - just take our things and start specifically mentioned "the virtu- tains, and then the explosions start walking? al complete destruction" of Ein al- and the animals go crazy and the Abu Khaled Zawahra, resident Rashash. children are scared." of Ein al-Rashash Sleiman Zawahra stands near While the Palestinian Author- February marked the highest tents donated by the Palestinian ity (PA) has no jurisdiction over number of home demolitions in the Authority after Israeli forces de- Ein al-Rashash, PA officials have occupied West Bank since the UN's molished his Bedouin community brought tents for residents to set Office for the Coordination of [Abed al-Qaisi/Al Jazeera] up while they rebuild their homes Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Abu Khaled Zawahra, a resi- from scraps of corrugated metal began recording in 2009, according dent of Ein al-Rashash who shares and tarp. to a recent statement. "During the a last name with many people in Sleiman said his community month, Israeli forces destroyed, the community, said they now was thankful for the help, but the dismantled or confiscated 235 have nowhere to go. Residents had tents will not help them in the cold, homes and other structures, dis- hired a lawyer to fight their case in wet weather. placing 331 Palestinians, including Israeli court after demolition or- "Of all the things I cannot get 174 children, and affecting anoth- ders were initially issued last No- over, is that they did this during er 740 Palestinians," the statement vember. the winter," Sleiman said. "It is the noted. INTERACTIVE: Building "We hoped the lawyer could rainy period now. What kind of the occupation stop it from happening," Abu people could do that to other hu- In Ein al-Rashash alone, Israe- Khaled said. "[Israeli forces] told mans? They destroyed our homes, li forces destroyed 10 homes and us to leave, but they didn't say and now it will rain soon. We aren't 33 other structures "due to lack of where. Where should we go with sure what we will do; there aren't building permits", UNOCHA not- all these women and children - just any caves in the area." ed. At least 59 residents lost their take our things and start walking? Sleiman and Abu Khaled were homes, and another 35 people - We did that before; our families are also worried for their sheep - their totaling the entire population - refugees from 1948 and were dis- main source of income. Without were affected by the demolitions. placed again in 1967. barns or caves to protect the ani- Tripoli, Lebanon - Soldiers stood the building that now houses the According to a 2015 UN sur- things differently now. I have a Throughout the first six weeks "If we did move and settled mals, many could die. on nearby rooftops, automatic cafe was pockmarked with bullet vey, 69 percent of families in Jabal different lifestyle," Khodor of 2016, more than 400 Palestin- somewhere else, they would just "In a modern world, it is hard weapons at the ready - but instead holes, with all the window glass Mohsen and 87 percent in Bab al- Mukhaiber, who organises live ians were displaced by home dem- come again and again," he added. enough to maintain our way of of violence, there was music in the blown out. Today, its smooth walls Tabbaneh live in poverty. entertainment for the cafe, told Al olitions, according to UN data - "It will never stop." life," Sleiman said. "I can't bear the air. are painted yellow, green, purple Now, 30 young people from Jazeera. "I used to spend all my more than half the total number in Earlier this month, the Applied thought of my children not con- Children dressed as clowns ran and pink. A colourful mural fea- the two neighbourhoods are com- time hanging around on the streets, all of 2015. "Most of the demoli- Research Institute - Jerusalem tinuing our culture; but when I look around with painted faces, and on tures the cafe's name alongside two ing together to run the cafe, which and now I'm involved in more ac- tions in the West Bank take place (ARIJ) speculated that Israeli au- at the reality Israel has created for a small stage, two young men linked hands. Inside, the walls are marks the final stage in March's tivities. My days are more pro- on the spurious legal grounds that thorities were clearing the Ein al- us, I am terrified. I think my chil- rapped Arabic verses to the tune covered with paintings of famous peacekeeping initiative. ductive." Palestinians do not possess build- Rashash area to make more room dren have no future." of 'Gangsta's Paradise' being singers. The cafe can seat up to 60 Just a few months ago, the But it will take time to change ing permits," said Robert Piper, for an adjacent Israeli military Additional reporting by Abed strummed on a guitar. People of all people and includes a profession- building that now houses the cafe attitudes throughout the broader the Coordinator for Humanitarian base. al-Qaisi ages joined in to sing the chorus. al sound system and a small stage, was pockmarked with bullet holes neighbourhoods. Some of the We thought that creating this where live concerts, plays, stand- with all the window glass blown young men now working in the cafe platform ... would allow people to up comedy shows and rap battles out [Photo courtesy of Lea Barou- said they received death threats unite around ideas of peace, of art, will be staged twice weekly, along di] after collaborating on the play last of culture. Lea Baroudi, March with regular film screenings. In addition to fostering unity, year, but they remain determined cofounder Last week's grand open- Recurring clashes in this area "it would partly resolve the un- to forge ahead. ing of a cafe on Tripoli's Syria of Tripoli have been exacerbated employment issue because they "The cafe is a job opportunity Street - the former frontline of by Syria's ongoing civil war. The will be managing the cafe them- for us, as well as a new project fighting between residents of the residents of Jabal Mohsen, many selves", Baroudi noted. that allows us all to spend time Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tab- of whom are Alawite, support the "We realised that the problems together," Samir Hussein, who baneh neighbourhoods - was at- Syrian regime, while the mostly- in Tripoli and in many poor and works behind the counter at the tended by a capacity crowd that Sunni residents of Bab al-Tabbaneh marginalised areas are not ideolog- cafe, told Al Jazeera. "Everyone spilled out into an adjacent car- support the opposition. ical," she added. "It is poverty, in- here is from Tripoli, and they've park. The culmination of a year- The cafe can seat up to 60 peo- justice and marginalisation that all come to support us … As long long peacekeeping project by the ple and includes a professional push these people to resort to vi- as the army is protecting us, the Beirut-based NGO March, Our sound system and a small stage olence. So the best way to tackle cafe will be safe." Cafe: Hand in Hand is intended to [India Stoughton/Al Jazeera] this issue is to approach the prob- Rayanne Ahmar, who also encourage reconciliation between In late 2014, after the Leba- lem in an economical, educational, staffs the counter, says she hopes the two warring neighbourhoods, nese army set up a permanent even social way. They need parks. the venue will ultimately reunite beset by sporadic clashes since presence on Syria Street, March They need cafes. They need cine- the two neighbourhoods. Lebanon's civil war ended in 1990. organised a play based on the lives mas. And they need jobs." "For me, the cafe is a symbol "We wanted this project to be sus- of the young performers, many of For now, March is training the of peace, and it's the first step in tainable," March cofounder Lea whom were former fighters. Ini- team on how to run the business, the bigger reconciliation between Baroudi told Al Jazeera. "We tially, the actors turned up to re- but eventually, they will work in- Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tab- thought that creating this platform, hearsals with knives and guns, but dependently, splitting the profits baneh," she told Al Jazeera. "A which is nonexistent in this area of once they began talking about their among the 30 workers. friend will bring another friend, and Tripoli, would allow people to experiences, they realised they had "I've met a lot of friends from another, and another, and they will unite around ideas of peace, of art, a lot in common - particularly is- the other side, which I never start breaking the ice and become of culture." Just a few months ago, sues surrounding unemployment. thought I would, and I look at once again one family." This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES LUNCH WITH DUBAI TOP LAWYER ESSAM AL-TAMIMI: THE FUTURE OF UAE LAW BEIJING : China's economy isn't reforms. Essam al-Tamimi, the founder and headed for a hard landing and isn't "In general, I think China's chief of one of the largest law firms dragging on the global economy, economy performance has stayed in the UAE and the region, lives China's top economic planner said at a reasonable range (since 2015)," by a key principle he’s learned over on Sunday, but uncertainty and Xu said, adding that the Chinese the past two and a half decades in instability in the global economy economy shouldn't be viewed the business – to never say “may- do pose a risk to the country's through traditional perspectives. be.” “Clients hate the word,” he growth. "First, we should look from the says. China on Saturday acknowl- angle that the economy has entered His firm, Al Tamimi & Co, edged it faced tough challenges but the 'new normal' period," he said, operates in nine countries around said it would keep its economy in which growth rates have shifted the region, including Saudi Arabia, expanding at least 6.5 percent on and the economy's growth engines Egypt, Iraq and Kuwait. The firm average over the next five years are changing towards services from works in various sectors of corpo- while pushing hard to create more investment. rate law, from arbitration, mergers jobs and restructure state-owned In the run-up to parliament, and acquisitions, to financial crime enterprises. Beijing has flagged major job loss- – Tamimi’s range of clients, he "China will absolutely not ex- es in the country's bloated coal and says, all appreciate his policy of perience a hard landing," Xu Sha- steel industries. But plans to re- not mincing words. oshi, head of the National Devel- duce industrial over-capacity were The interview takes place at opment and Reform Commission unlikely to result in large-scale lay- Roberto’s, an Italian restaurant (NDRC), told reporters at a brief- offs, Xu said. tucked away in the grey forest of ing. "These predictions of a hard Economic growth will create glass and granite that makes up landing are destined to come to more jobs and help offset the im- Dubai’s upscale DIFC financial nothing." pact of capacity cuts, he said. center complex. China's economy grew 6.9 per- China also plans to launch sev- Over a starting plate of burra- cent in 2015. While that rate was eral mixed ownership pilot pro- ta cheese and cherry tomatoes, the slowest in a quarter of a centu- grams in the oil, natural gas and which he soon douses with olive ry, the pace was still relatively fast rail sectors, Xu said, part of the oil, Tamimi has plenty to say on among major economies, Beijing most far-reaching reforms of its his country’s legal system. And says. China has set a growth tar- sprawling and inefficient state sec- with the UAE government using get of 6.5 percent to 7 percent for tor in two decades. his firm’s services to help draft and this year. In September last year, China amend many new legislation, most- The state of the world's sec- issued guidance on reforming state- ly in the commercial sector, he’s ond-biggest economy and Beijing's owned enterprises, including the well qualified to comment. ability to manage it were key talk- introduction of so-called mixed “The UAE has been rapidly ing points at a Group of 20 finance ownership of state firms. working on legal reforms,” he says ministers and central bankers in China has about 150,000 Shanghai last month. state-owned enterprises, managing in a genteel manner, with an ac- Premier Li Keqiang says Chi- more than 100 trillion yuan ($15 companying pause that suggests a na has the confidence to handle the trillion) in assets and employing cy. Nonetheless, the broader world economy poses challenges to China this year, Xu said. long answer is to come. “Whether complexities both at home and over 30 million people, according "First, we estimate the slow recovery and low growth rates in the world's economy will continue for a period of time," he said. "Also we could there is a need [for more] to be abroad while pressing ahead with to the official Xinhua news agen- not overlook the risks from unstable (global) financial markets, falling prices of commodities and risks of geopolitics." done… the answer is yes.” Since the global tumble in oil prices, Gulf states have looked to make adjustments from a looming economic downturn. By the end of this year, UAE’s central bank is expected to impose new rules to prevent taking the kind of risks that led to the 2009 financial crash. Many current central bank laws, Tamimi notes, date back to 1979, making the need for amend- ments and additions ever more cru- NEW YORK : The bulls have plenty could still derail the mar- Moody’s Investors Service has cut gained the upper hand in the U.S. ket. cial. And due to the often tricky its outlook for the debt ratings of and time-consuming process of stock market in recent weeks and For one, while stock investors Saudi Arabia and three other Gulf strategists are cautiously optimis- cheered Friday's payrolls, inves- navigating cases through the UAE’s states while lowering Bahrain’s courts, many firms have long opt- tic the rebound will continue. tors worry more upbeat data will rating to junk, citing concern over A lot is riding on whether eco- bolster prospects for a rate hike ed to use the DIFC’s courts. A view the impact of low oil prices on their of Roberto's, an Italian restaurant nomic data can continue to hold from the Federal Reserve this year. finances. up, since upbeat reports in recent Investors see the Fed as hold- located in the DIFC complex. (Pho- Saudi Arabia’s Aa3 rating was to courtesy: Roberto's) weeks have eased fears the United ing off on rate hikes for now, help- placed on review for a possible States may be headed for a reces- ing stocks in recent weeks, said “No one will ever imagine hav- downgrade, Moody’s said late on ing a common law system applied sion. Donald Selkin, chief market strat- Friday, adding that it would study Friday's jobs report was the egist at National Securities in New [as is the case with the DIFC whether Riyadh’s efforts to ex- courts], [yet] today a number of latest signal that those worries were York. pand its non-oil revenues and di- overblown, with February U.S. A majority of Wall Street's top cities around the world are actual- versify its economy were likely to ly copying this model,” he says, payrolls surging more than expect- banks expect the Fed to raise in- work. ed. terest rates only two more times “At around $650 billion (or citing the example of Singapore and The S&P 500 has gained in 10 by the end of the year, a down- roughly 95 percent of forecast 2016 countries in Eastern Europe and out of 15 sessions since its Feb. grade of earlier expectations, ac- grossdomestic product) at the end South America setting up similar 11 low, and on Friday closed above cording to a Reuters poll on Fri- of September 2015, the country’s systems. its 100-day moving average for day. foreign currency assets are large,” Faster legal reforms in the main first time in 2016. Half of 10 S&P The economic, Fed and earn- it said. judiciary system, Tamimi said back sectors - including energy, which ings calendars are light next week. “But potential calls on these in 2014, could serve to make the had been severely beaten down - Oil prices are likely to keep their funds are growing - emanating from DIFC courts redundant. Two years are now positive for the year. dominant role. the need to finance future current on, is the country any closer to In another upbeat sign for the "You don't want oil prices to account and budget deficits, and this happening? market, the Dow Jones transpor- go back below $30," Selkin said. from use in small-scale currency “I think that will be a few tation average (.DJT) has been The energy index (.SPNY), interventions to defend the curren- years to come,” he says. outperforming the broader market. which was the worst-performing cy peg amid rising speculation.” economy was more diversified of money and oil than its wealthy by two notches to A3 and kept Last month, the UAE govern- It is up 1.9 percent since Dec. 31, sector of 2015, is now up more Moody’s also put the United than most in the region, but added: neighbors. Central to the agency’s the rating on review for a further ment rolled out a series of new largely because of the recent gains than 20 percent from the Jan. 20 Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar “The structural shock to the oil analysis was its view of oil prices. downgrade. Moody’s actions fol- ministries, including posts for hap- in oil prices, while the S&P 500 is bottom. on review for downgrades - coun- market is weakening the UAE’s It said it had recently cut its fore- lowed a mass downgrade of oil piness and tolerance. It is also ex- down 2.2 percent. Stabilizing oil prices, along tries which are widely seen in the government balance sheet and its casts for Brent crude to $33 per producers by Standard & Poor’s ploring plans to reduce bureaucra- "If you were pricing this thing with some weakness in the dollar, debt markets as more able to cope economy, and therefore its credit barrel in 2016 and $38 in 2017, in mid-February. S&P cut coun- cy by outsourcing many services for a recession, you've got to take could support U.S. earnings, which with an era of low oil prices be- profile.” rising slowly to US$48 by 2019. tries including Saudi Arabia, Bahr- to the private sector. it back out," said Jim Paulsen, chief are expected to be down for a third cause of their huge financial re- Moody’s cut Bahrain’s rating In December, it had predicted ain and Oman. Saudi Arabia was Tamimi is optimistic at the investment officer at Wells Capi- consecutive quarter in the first serves relative to small popula- by one notch to Ba1, below in- Brent at $43 in 2016. Late last cut by two notches to A-minus, changes made. “I’m really hoping tal Management in Minneapolis. quarter of 2016. "I think risks have tions. ‘Structural shock’ vestment grade. It kept the rating month, Moody’s cut the rating of three notches below Moody’s rat- that one of the assignments of the He added that the S&P 500 could diminished ... but one of the things It acknowledged that the UAE on review for a further downgrade; Oman, the other member of the ing, while Bahrain was lowered to new cabinet would be to list those test its high from May 2015, when that keeps us cautious are estimate planned tax reforms and that its Bahrain has much smaller reserves Gulf’s six wealthy oil exporters, junk. laws that need to be revised or en- it closed at a record 2,130.82. revisions for both earnings and He and others are expecting sales," where the trend is weak, acted and go through them,” he data to continue to support the said Dan Suzuki, senior U.S. equi- says. Disruptive game view that the United States will ty strategist at Bank of America The last few years have seen avoid a recession, though they said Merrill Lynch in New York. the continual rise of so-called ‘dis- ruptive’ companies, such as the San Francisco-based taxi-dispatch app Uber, and Airbnb, which offers short-term accommodation rentals - often in private homes. In many countries, the two firms have an- ISLAMABAD: German Ambas- gered long-established industry sador Ina Lepel has said that a re- bodies, and in some cases fallen newable energy forum will be foul of regulators. launched in collaboration with Pa- While Uber, and its local equiv- kistan in a bid to bring together alent Careem, have proven popu- and connect stakeholders from lar in the UAE, the firms appear public and private sectors of the to fall within a legal grey area. Uber two countries. and Careem told Al Arabiya last Speaking at the 5th Interna- month that they were currently LONDON : New rules to hold Overy law firm. Unlike the old tional Exhibition and Conference working with regulators for a so- bosses responsible for wrongdo- system, bankers deemed to wield on Renewable Energy and Energy lution. And although landlords can ing at British banks is deterring significant managerial influence will Efficiency on Saturday, Lepel said theoretically list their property some bankers from taking on se- have to sign up to a legal duty of the German Development Coop- Airbnb legally in Dubai, certain nior management roles and even responsibility for their units, and eration – an agency that cooper- stringent conditions must be met. prompting big-hitters to play show they took reasonable steps ates in sustainable development – Tamimi weighs in. “[The UAE down their own importance, say to prevent or stop rulebreaking that had been engaged in renewable en- government] will help but it will legal and compliance experts. Pub- comes to light. They include ergy and energy efficiency pro- also basically put more restric- lic anger that so few senior bank- CEOs, heads of big business units, grammes since 1962, the year de- tion,” he says, noting what he calls ers were punished after taxpayers and non-executive directors who velopment partnership began be- a “lost war” between the speed of bailed out the industry in the fi- chair key committees and will tween Pakistan and Germany. technology and the pace of gov- nancial crisis, or for scandals such amount to about 10,000 staff Renewable energy: Germany ernment legislation. as Libor and currency-market rig- across 900 banking companies, or offers assistance “Item one for any government ging, has led to the rules which an average of about 12 per firm, “Our objective is to support is security. You cannot let some- make it easier to hold them to ac- rising to 40-50 for the biggest lend- sustainable electricity supply in body come, stay in somebody’s count. The Senior Managers Re- ers. Ron Gould - a former UK reg- Pakistan and to help improve effi- within the region and beyond. and specific technologies, in order megawatts of clean energy only bedroom and pay him over the in- Pakistan’s potential in terms to give a boost to the renewable through the Keti Bandar wind cor- gime (SMR) from Monday replac- ulator who is now European Chair- cient use of energy,” she added. ternet. That’s breaching the secu- es a system that UK lawmakers man of Compliance Science, which The ambassador said besides of renewable energy was even big- energy sector. ridor and the same area could also ger than Germany as the former Alternative Energy Develop- produce solar energy, he said. rity of the whole country.” criticized for giving illusory con- helps financial companies comply financial and technical cooperation Tamimi believes that the trol over individuals with little with rules - said some senior bank- in the area of energy ranging from had more wind corridors, more ment Board (AEDB) Chief Execu- The AEDB has set a produc- solar power resources and also ex- tive Officer Amjad Ali Awan said tion target of over 3,000MW of UAE’s position as a trade and in- prospect of enforcement action. A ers were looking at whether they construction of hydroelectric vestment hub will push authori- step change in banking rules, it will could convince regulators that they power plants to supporting re- ceptional opportunities for hydro- Pakistan’s renewable energy sec- electricity with the help of renew- electric power production, she tor had received encouraging re- able energy resources. ties to let ‘disruptive’ firms oper- allow regulators to pin blame on did not have significant managerial forms and policy formulation, the ate – but within certain restric- named people rather than just influence over their teams. "One goal was to leverage the business said. Lepel saw ample possibili- sponse from the international mar- Air University Dean Dr Za- ties of engaging in business activi- ket and mapping of solar and wind farullah Koreshi, while underlin- tions. “To be part of a regulatory firms, which lawyers said has trig- thing I have seen that does make potential in renewable energy that environment is a healthy thing,” gered anxiety among top bankers. me smile is the wonderful term ties that would create employment resources was in progress while ing the need of promoting renew- existed in both countries. he says. Our main courses arrive. "I have had some clients with staff used by some firms that want to She was of the view that Paki- and income opportunities and con- biomass mapping had been com- able energy, said over 40,000- resistant to being a senior manag- 'juniorise' positions," Gould said. tribute to Pakistan’s economic de- pleted. 50,000MW of electricity could be Tamimi gets started on his well- stan had a big potential for sus- seared Norwegian cod fillet, and er, worried they are going to be "It may be more wishful thinking tainable economic and social de- velopment. He pointed out that efforts generated from hydel resources. kept awake at night about what than anything else." One person Renewable energy: Taiwan were being made to enhance the Renewable Alternative Energy shortly adds several large splash- velopment due to its geographical es of olive oil. This reporter’s own their team is doing, and if some- familiar with how the SMR is be- realities as a trade corridor, its ag- firm to invest in solar technology share of renewable energy up to Association of Pakistan Vice thing goes wrong, will they be the ing introduced said regulators were ricultural and human resources and She stressed that development 35% in the total energy mix in or- Chairman Asif said renewable en- order – a soft, slow-cooked lamb scapegoat," said Sarah Henchoz, aware of this and were pushing the prospect of a competitive ex- partners could play a pivotal role, der to ensure energy security. Pa- ergy was the only solution to the shank, is also in need of enhance- an employment partner at Allen & back against banks. porter of goods in high demand especially by providing expertise kistan could generate over 40,000 power outages. ment. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES HAIR-SWAP — BALMAIN RUNWAYAT PARIS FASHION WEEK 2016 It is one of the most anticipated shows of Paris Fashion Week and, once again, the Balmain presentation didn’t dishearten. The luxury French brand made sure to trans- form supermodels Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley by playing with their hair hues. You have to see it to believe it! Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who will be seen essay- ing a villain in the upcoming "Bay- watch" movie based on the hugely Kendall Jenner popular 1990s TV series, has laud- The 20-year-old ed her co-star Dwayne 'The Rock' supermodel rocked a Johnson for his commitment to- wind-swept blonde wig wards his job. complete with roots — One of the most watched TV shows globally, "Baywatch" was and trust me, nothing about Los Angeles county life- about it, looked counter- guards who patrol the beaches of feit. Sporting a rather Los Angeles, California. It starred sultry, vixen-like look, David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson among others. Kendall donned an elabo- The "Bajirao Mastani" actress rate lace number which lauded the actor in a question and boasted corset detailing answer session titled #AskPc on and a thick belted waist. Twitter on Saturday, when a fan She teamed her outfit asked her "one best thing about the rock". "His sense of commitment with statement-making, to his job," Priyanka replied to her cream thigh-high boots. fan's query. Filming is currently underway in Boca Raton, Florida. Besides Johnson and Priyanka, the film also stars Zac Efron, Alexan- dra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach and Ilfenesh Hadera. Responding to another fan's query, Priyanka, who was among the presenters at the 88th Academy Awards here, said that Oscar-winning actor Leonar- do DiCaprio's winning speech at the award gala was the "most ad- miring moment". Would she lose out on some big Bollywood films due to her work in Hollwood, asked another fan. "I'm blessed to have choices for some amazing Hindi films. Announce soon," the "Mary Kom" star, who gained glo- bal recognition through her stint in American TV show "Quantico", replied. Priyanka stars in filmmak- er-actor Prakash Jha's latest film "Jai Gangaajal", where she can be seen essaying the role of a police officer named Abha Mathur. SONAM THANKS Rosie Huntington Whiteley The 28-year-old fiancée of Jason RAJASTHAN CM Statham gave us a black-out — but the good kind! Celebrated for being a leggy blonde, Rosie made a ravish- FOR MAKING ing brunette as she glided down the runway — the girl was almost 'NEERJA' unrecognisable. Donning the classic Balmain look, the supermodel TAX-FREE stunned in a striped fringed mini Actress Sonam Kapoor has thanked Rajasthan's Chief Min- dress worn with opaque tights and ister Vasundhara Raje for making her latest film "Neerja" ankle boots. tax-free in the state. The actress' star father Anil Kapoor Umnia Shahid has also thanked the minister for the "immense support". "Neerja" is a biopic on the life of air hostess Neerja Bhanot who sacrificed her life while saving passengers on board Pan Am Flight 73, which was hijacked in Pakistan. "A huge thank you to honourable CM Vasundhara for making 'Neerja' tax free. Humbled by the gesture towards our nation's pride Neerja Bhanot," Sonam tweeted on Friday. The Ram Madh- vani directorial, produced by Fox Star Studios and Bling Unplugged, features Sonam and Shabana Azmi in pivotal roles. "The immense support given to 'Neerja' shows how she has inspired millions! Thank you honourable CM Va- sundhara...," the actor-producer tweeted. "Neerja", which released on February 19, was also declared tax-free by the Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh governments. Country missing real action heroes: John Abraham Actor-producer John Abraham, who is likely to take action in Bol- lywood to an altogether new level with his film "Rocky Handsome", says that the country is missing "real action heroes" of the caliber of Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Will- is, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. We really wanted to take action to the next level. What the country was missing was real action heroes... If LAHORE: Designer Honey Waqar has an established clientele in her you see internationally, the best hometown of Lahore. The launch of her flagship store Maison Honey action heroes are Stallone, Bruce Waqar on Friday is a testament to this fact, as her patrons came out in Willis, Schwarzenegger, Dwayne droves to support her with the new venture. Talking to The Express Johnson The Rock," John said at Tribune at the launch, Waqar said, “We were initially doing only the trailer launch of "Rocky Hand- bridals but since we have launched luxury pret there’s a lot of diversi- some" here. "It's not as much ty, so we needed a space to display all that.” With the store, she about the action, but it is about launched Reine, a luxury pret line that she created with her daughter, the attitude, and that's what we Mahnam. The store houses shirts with digital prints and embellish- tried to maintain in the film," he young girl. He is seen in an array ments, formal shirts with intricate detailing, some accessories and of added. The trailer of "Rocky of action sequences with guns and course, Waqar’s signature bridals. Models donning elaborate, opulent Handsome" sees John in an intense knives while also showcasing his bridals casually schmoozed at the store launch. action avatar to save the life of a toned physique.

Bollywood beauty Parineeti Dil, placing a Bolly- Chopra said she is amazed to see wood sign in the back- how popular Bollywood is out- ground, much like the side India. After returning from an famous Hollywood elongated holiday in Australia, the sign in Los Angeles, US. Ishaqzaade actor said, “The trip “She has always was awesome. I will never forget wanted to visit Austra- it.” She said the recognition she got lia. She finally got a there was amazing. “Even at the chance to take a trip airport, people told me that they there this year. Interest- had seen me in the news. It’s cool ingly, her fans would of- that I could make a small mark ten gather at her hotel. there,” Bollywood.com quoted her They wanted to meet as saying. her. She was quite tak- While vacationing Down Un- en aback, as she never der, Chopra constantly kept her expected such a re- fans up-to-date with her activities sponse,” a source close through a series of posts on social to the actor said, add- media. It was evident that she was ing, “The picture they having a great time but things be- published was one she came even more exciting when a had herself uploaded local Australian daily, The Cairns online. She spoke about Post, interviewed her. Parineeti her trip to Australia and turns singer The newspaper pub- about the Hindi film in- lished a photoshopped picture of dustry, among other the actor who was last seen in Kill things.” This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY . MARCH 07, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

The Afghan-born Ultimate Fight- ing Championship (UFC) fighter Siyar Bahadurzada returned to UFC with a victory over Ameri- can UFC fighter Brandon Thatch during UFC 196. Held at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ba- hadurzada submitted the Elevation Fight Team standout with a third- round arm-triangle choke. Bahadurzada ended the fight in his favour during the last sec- onds of the third round as he exe- cuted repeated takedowns, applied his ground-and-pound and seized control of the match. Being his first submission since January 2007, Bahadurzada dragged the exhausted and visibly discouraged Thatch to the mat one more time, late in the third round, latched the choke and coaxed the tapout. Bahadurzada made a return to UFC after two years of absence that followed by two back to back losses, to Dong Hyun Kim and John Howard. He made his debut in UFC in early 2012 by taking on the Bra- zilian fighter Paulo Thiago and knocked him out during the initial seconds of the first round. Bahadurzada’s deal with UFC was confirmed for the first time on November 14, 2011, with the UFC officials saying the nature of the deal is a multi-contract one which entitles Bahadurzada to take The Champions League clash be- in the Champions League delivers part in UFC bouts for a long time. tween Barcelona and Arsenal fea- significant revenue benefits in tures two clubs with combined terms of UEFA distributions and revenues of almost 1billion euros - matchday revenue, and success on the highest ever for a last-16 tie in the pitch can also translate into Heather Watson storms into Monterrey final the competition - according to new commercial uplifts. figures. "FC Barcelona's Champions Heather Watson is just one match The Deloitte Football Money League triumph last year resulted away from a third WTA title after League, which profiles the high- in UEFA distributions of 61m eu- she defeated Caroline Garcia to est-earning clubs in world football, ros - an increase of 19.1m euros reach the final of the Abierto puts the two clubs' combined rev- from the previous season. Similar- Monterrey Afirme in Mexico. enue from 2014/15 at 996.3m eu- ly, Juventus' successful run to the The 23-year-old saw off Car- ros (£769.9m). final last season helped the club to oline Wozniacki on Friday and Barcelona's revenue is 560.8m achieve total revenue growth of 16 proved too good for Garcia as she euros (£433.3m) and Arsenal's pe cent." Real Madrid are top of romped home 6-1 6-2. 435.5m euros (£336.5m), with the the Money League with revenue She will now meet Kirsten two sides meeting again in the Nou of 577m euros (£445.9m), but their Flipkens in the final after she Anett Camp on March 16 after Barca opponents Roma are only 16th Kontaveit. won the opening leg of their last- with 180.4m euros (£139.4m). Watson has lost her two ca- 16 tie 2-0 after Lionel Messi Arsenal v Barcelona and Roma reer meetings with 30-year-old scored twice at the Emirates. v Real Madrid are two of four ties Belgian Flipkens but if she can re- The clubs in the last 16 have a in the last 16 which have total com- verse that trend she can add to the total revenue of more than 4.3bn bined revenues of more than 750m titles she won in Japan in October euros (£3.3billion). euros (£579.6m). 2012 and Hobart in January 2015. The European tie with the sec- The other two are Paris St This was Watson's third career ond highest joint revenue takes Germain (480.8m euros, £371.6m) win over Garcia, who offered little place in the Europa League, where v Chelsea (420m euros, £324.6m) resistance. Manchester United take on Liver- - the Londoners are ranked eighth She sent down five aces and pool in a meeting featuring teams in the Money League - and Juven- was efficient on her first serve, with a combined revenue of tus (323.9m euros, £250.3m) v winning 86 per cent of the points 911.3m euros (£704.2m). Bayern Munich (474m euros, on it. Dan Jones, partner in the £366.3m). "I was very happy with how I Sports Business Group at Deloit- Manchester City are ranked played today. I knew I was going te, said: "FC Barcelona and Arse- sixth in the Money League with to have to play well," said Wat- nal generate the second and sev- total revenue of 463.5m euros son. enth highest revenues in world club (£358.1m), but no figures were "I'm very happy to be in the times and she's very experienced. It definitely won't be easy so I'm going to have to bring my A-game tomorrow [Sunday]." football. available for their opponents Dy- final. I've played Kirsten a few Flipkens secured her final berth with a straight-sets win over Kontaveit, 7-6 6-4. "Participating and progressing namo Kiev.

Bradley Skeete walked out of Bir- mingham with the British and Jason Kenny won gold in the men's "Twelve months ago I remem- finals. He lost his first heat against Commonwealth welterweight belts sprint at the UCI Track Cycling ber sitting in the stands, watching Glaetzer in the gold-medal round after out-pointing Sam Eggington. World Championships in London the semi-final and the final and it but then dominated the Australian South Londoner Skeete con- on Saturday. just seemed like a world away. I in the next two heats to seal victo- trolled most of an intriguing and The three-time Olympic had been first-round fodder and we ry. engaging 12 rounds and ultimately champion defeated Australia's had all gone home early. Kenny believes he rode as well silenced the Genting Arena crowd Matthew Glaetzer 2-1 to claim the "Now, for me to be in the final as ever in the past two days but there to support 'The Savage' from third world title of his career and and for Callum [Skinner] to make insists he will have to improve Stourbridge. first since 2013. the fifth to eighth final, we've again in Rio. Eggington tried to fight back Having struggled to find top turned it around." "I think I'm there or there- in the final third but by the time form in recent years, Kenny ap- Having booked his place in the abouts - the best I've ever been," the final bell sounded, it would peared back to his very best just quarter-finals with a series of im- he added. have been a huge upset had he kept five months out from the Rio 2016 pressive rides on Friday, Kenny "The key thing is now between hold of the titles. Games. outclassed New Zealand's Sam now and the Games - doesn't mat- The fight was expected to be a He said: "To win the sprint is Webster 2-0 in the last eight and ter whether we've won here or lost boxer against a puncher, a slick- special. It's the blue-riband event, then made similarly light work of - it's about making the most of ev- ster against a slugger and it did not plus it's a long day. It's a bit emo- Poland's Damian Zielinksi with ery day. To win in Rio we know disappoint. tional. another 2-0 triumph in the semi- we'll have to go better again." The tone was set in the first round, Skeete pinging in his jab then shifting round to his left, trying to keep Eggington chasing, and he did not catch him too many times. The Savage's best shot came with a right to the body in the sec- ond and then a short uppercut in the third but round-by-round Skeete seemed to land more and more jabs and slowly but surely let the right follow. ington did manage to close the gap, don. The final round saw Egging- great crowd, I had a great crowd The fourth might have been he was often caught by the counter, ton give it his all but an extra spurt and it was a great, great fight. Eggington's best round but with although the ninth was certainly of energy from Skeete saw him end "I had Sam on my mind for 10 coach Alan Smith calmly cajoling his best round of the second half. even stronger and secure an emo- weeks. I knew how tough he is. Skeete back into the gameplan, the His jab finally landed and was tional win. People said it's the boxer against jab returned twice as fast and fear- followed up by a big right hook Skeete promised he would be the brawler but I knew Sam could some than before. that seemed to halt Skeete's slip- taking the belts to have a chat with box and I showed I can fight as Round five saw Skeete land a ping and sliding. the late Dean Powell on Sunday. well. Respect to Sam. "I got to the lovely left-right combination ear- Eggington followed it up in the This is dedicated to Dean Pow- seventh, dropped my hands and ly on and for the first time it 10th as he continued to close the ell and I can't wait to go to his just started enjoying it. I knew from seemed he had taken something gap and land that right. Some still bench in Greenwich and plonk then it was my fight. It felt like I out of Eggington. missed but his crude but continu- these on there Bradley Skeete "It took it out of him but I had in my Indeed, the seventh saw Skeete ous checked hook hit home more means the world to me to get these head not to switch off. "This is drop his guard, leaving out the chin frequently. belts," he said. "I thought I did dedicated to Dean Powell and I and almost playing with his op- But the feeling was that the enough to win against [Frankie] can't wait to go to his bench in ponent, firing single jabs and then British and Commonwealth straps Gavin but that experience took me Greenwich and plonk these on slipping out of range. When Egg- would be heading to South Lon- through to this fight. Sam had a there." This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF. MONDAY. MARCH 07. 2016-Hoot 17, 1394 H.S Vol:X Issue No:218 Price: Afs.15 This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only. This page will not be added after purchasing Win2PDF.