Page 2 | NATIONAL Why Tajikistan Is Emerging as China’s Gateway to Afghanistan Page 3 | ECONOMY Pakistan Must Not Become China’s overhauling of Tajikistan’s highway network in its sparsely Kabul Residents: Bills a Launchpad for America’s populated, mountainous, and geographically enormous... Increase as Power Afghan War Service Worsens Page 2 | NATIONAL Kabul Herat Nangarhar Balkh 34o / 15o 44o / 22o 43o / 25o 36o / 27o Your Gateway to Afghanistan & the Region Tuesday, June 22, 2021 Issue No. 977 www.heartofasia.af 10 afs Ghani Meets with Leading Politicians to Discuss Peace Process Senior Pakhtunkhwa Presidential Palace (ARG), the Milli Awami Party politicians also agreed a united leader Usman Kakar front was necessary. “It was also emphasized at the passes away meeting that a united front and Usman Khan Kakar, a senior leader of a strong political consensus the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party were necessary to strengthen (PKMAP), has passed away in Karachi. peace and stability, strengthen Confirming the death of the leader, Information-Secretary PKMAP Reza the republican system and Mohammad Reza said that Kakar was support the country’s security undergoing treatment at a private forces and make strong use hospital in Karachi. of the strong popular support Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader for the republican system to and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said consolidate stability,” ARG said. that the news of Usman Khan Kakar’s demise was received during a meeting Participants at the meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance. also discussed Ghani and his It may be recalled that a few days entourage’s planned visit to the ago, Usman Kakar fell in his house United States, which they called in Quetta and was seriously injured. “significant.” Usman Kakar was rushed to... P2 President Ashraf Ghani met with Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman Speaker of the House of On Sunday, the White House the country’s political and jihadi of the High Council for National Representatives; Mohammad announced that Ghani and leaders on Monday morning Reconciliation; Hamid Karzai, Karim Khalili, leader of the Abdullah were scheduled to who stressed that the peace former president; Abdul Rab Islamic Unity Party; Mohammad travel to the US on June 25. US President Joe Biden is process is a priority for the Rasul Sayyaf, former Jihadi Ismail Khan, a member of the scheduled to meet with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan leader; Mohammad Sarwar leadership of the Islamic Jamiat and that “all further steps in this Danesh, Second Vice President; Afghan leaders to discuss of Afghanistan; and a number process, will be taken with the Mohammad Younus Qanuni, continued US-Afghan of other senior politicians Afghan Govt Retake necessary understanding and former vice president; Fazl cooperation, as well as the and officials. According to consensus.” Hadi Muslimyar, Speaker of the withdrawal of US troops from Districts and Taliban a statement issued by the Capture District Present at the meeting were Senate; Mir Rahman Rahmani, the country. Bordering Tajikistan First International I Am Neither Taliban’s Spokesperson Flight Lands in Khost Taliban militants have reportedly captured Imam Sahib district in Province nor Their Lawyer: Qureshi Afghanistan Kunduz province, which Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood borders Panj district of the Tajik announced that the first international Qureshi spoke on the Afghan Peace southwest province of Khatlon. flight took place from eastern newly Process, saying that neither is he “Taliban militants captured Imam built Khost airport. The civil aviation Sahib district a little over an hour ago authority said in a statement that Ariana the Taliban’s spokesperson nor the and they are currently besieging the Airlines made its first international group’s lawyer. city of Kunduz itself,” Ajmal Kakar, a flight from the United Arab Emirates to “I am only Pakistan’s foreign reporter for Afghanistan’s Pajhwok Khost Airport at 8:10 am on Thursday, minister,” FM Qureshi said, news agency, told Asia-Plus at around carrying 90 passengers, which was addressing a news conference in 4:30 pm. warmly welcomed by the people of Islamabad. “The gates at the entrance to the city Khost province. The foreign minister said he had are already in the hands of the Taliban, According to the statement, the airline’s responded as a Pakistani to the the city itself is under siege. Things are international flights will continue every Afghan national security advisor’s heating up in the city,” Mr. Kakar said. week at the airport. He also noted that no losses are Foreign airlines such as Al-Arabiya recent anti-Pakistan response. reported at present. “There may be have also expressed interest in flying “The Afghan NSA’s statement did no casualties as government forces to the airport in separate letters, the not benefit his country,” the foreign are retreating,” Afghan reporter added. statement added. minister said, adding: “Pakistan Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s TOLO has always tried to persuade the Afghanistan. You cannot pass the buck towards News, citing the Afghan Ministry of Taliban to negotiate.” The foreign minister had said Pakistan. Defense, said on June 21 that Bangi Last week, talking to TRT World that Pakistan had been engaged “Pakistan is one regional player. and Khwaja Ghar districts in the during his visit to Antalya, Turkey, constructively for peace and There are other global players northern Takhar province, which the foreign minister had said that stability in Afghanistan and would and there are other interests that also borders Tajikistan’s Khatlon one “cannot pass the buck to continue to do so. are paramount in the region,” the province, were retaken from the... P3 Pakistan” for peace and stability in “But this is a shared responsibility. foreign minister said. June 22, 2021 Heart of Asia NATIONAL TUESDAY 2 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Senior... By: Arwin Rahi a hospital and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Condolences Upon receiving Pakistan Must Not Become a Launchpad for the news of Senator Kakar’s demise, leaders of different political parties in Afghanistan America’s Afghan War and Pakistan started expressing their condolences. Unconfirmed reports about Pakistan Remembering Kakar, Deputy providing the United States with Speaker National Assembly military bases on its soil have been Qasim Suri said that the deceased floating around as of late. At such was a patriotic political and social a crucial time, when regional and global stakeholders are trying to leader. find a solution to the Afghan conflict, “Usman Khan Kakar fought such a Pakistani offer will complicate for the rights of the people of things for Islamabad. Pakistan’s Balochistan and always voiced past military engagements with the their concerns,” Suri said. United States should serve as an Speaker National Assembly eye-opener to help it make the right Asad Qaisar also expressed decision this time around. his condolences and said that At the height of the Cold War in Kakar’s contribution towards the 1950s and 1960s, Pakistan had the rights of Balochistan, along a substantial amount of military with his socio-political services, cooperation with the United States, receiving generous military will always be remembered. assistance from the superpower. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar While the United States intended its Usman Buzdar also sent his military assistance to Pakistan for commiserations to the family use against the communist threat, members of the deceased and Pakistan sought to take advantage of prayed for the departed soul. its partnership to bolster its offensive JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur and defensive capabilities vis-à-vis Rehman also expressed his India. condolences and said that the No wonder in 1965, when the Indo- Pakistan Democratic Movement Pakistani war broke out, the United (PDM) has been deprived of a States imposed an arms embargo on both India and Pakistan. The arms brave leader. Former president embargo remained in place during and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali at the time. The United States then He repeatedly told Americans to the so-called War on Terror, which the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War as well. Zardari, PPP’s Sherry Rehman, imposed more sanctions on Pakistan hit the Pashtun tribes ruthlessly. Musharraf committed Pakistan to, Unlike India, Pakistan was dependent after it conducted its nuclear tests in He had allowed the CIA to operate brought more war and more terror and ANP Sindh’s President Shahi on U.S. arms, equipment, and spare May 1998. drones in Pakistan as early as to Pakistan and the region. Sayed also expressed their grief parts; thus, the embargo impacted The United States, however, was 2004. He even suggested that U.S. Allowing U.S. military bases over Senator Kakar’s demise. Pakistan’s military capability. Since back with a list of demands for drones be painted in Pakistan Air on Pakistani soil raises several the United States and Pakistan were Pakistan after the 9/11 terror attacks. Force colors, which the CIA refused. complications for Islamabad. pursuing different objectives, the General Pervez Musharraf accepted Pakistani diplomatic protests after First, after the Taliban assume India Records... military partnership was bound to all the U.S. demands regarding every drone attack in Pakistan were ascendancy in Afghanistan, any end on a sad note for the one on the the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. orchestrated to placate a domestic strikes on Afghanistan from Pakistani vaccination