Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:X Issue No:219 Price: Afs.20 Weekend Issue, Sponsored by Etisalat FRIDAY . MARCH 06 . 2020 - Hoot 16, 1398 H.S www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimes www.twitter.com/ afghanistantime KABUL: NATO’s Senior Civil- ian Representative in Afghani- stan Sir Nicholas Kay on Thurs- day said the release of Taliban prisoners was the job of the Af- ghan government. Nicholas Kay during an ex- clusive interview with the Voice of America (VoA), said the peace process and intra-Afghan dia- logue were essential. The Afghan government release of Taliban prisoners belonging to the Af- KABUL: NATO Secretary need to see a reduction in violence ghan government. General Jens Stoltenberg has and avoid undermining the agree- He believed Afghan govern- called for further reduction in ment. NATO remains committed ment’s representatives would violence and avoiding under- to Afghanistan’s security and sta- meet Taliban leadership in Doha mining a historic US-Taliban bility,” the secretary-general add- to discuss the issue of prison- Political figures and a number of rights and liberties of the Af- peace agreement. Addressing a ed. NATO would continue to sup- ers’ release. scholars on Wednesday urged the ghan people should be protect- joint press conference with port the Afghan security forces The diplomat said, “I think Afghan government leaders and ed in the peace process with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej with funding and training, he prom- the Taliban should meet Afghan the Taliban to come together, the Taliban. “I call on the Tali- Plenkovic in Zagreb, he said ised, welcoming Croatia’s commit- government representatives as it kick start the intra-Afghan talks ban to continue the reduction "We have just discussed the ment and contributions to the Res- would be a debate among Afghans and get the nation out of the on- in violence for the sake of the historic opportunity for peace olute Support mission. “ To a ques- and it has no link with NATO.” going turmoil surrounding the people,” said Akram Khpul- in Afghanistan.” He was in tion, he said the agreement signed The release of prisoners on peace negotiations. wak, a former member of the Kabul last week with President on Saturday was a first step and both sides is part of a historic They also suggested that the High Peace Council (HPC). “In Ghani and US Defense Secre- there was still a long and difficult agreement the Taliban and the Afghan government take advan- the country, every law that is tary Esper to welcome the sig- way to go before achieving a sus- US signed on February 29 after tage of the current opportunity in contradiction to Islam is nature of the framework agree- tainable settlement in Afghanistan. around one and a half years of for peace and save the country banned,” said Hazarat Omar ment, the NATO chief recalled. "We know there will be difficul- talks in Qatar. In line with the from further war and violence. Zakhelwal, former Afghan am- He hailed the deal as an oppor- ties and also disappointments on deal, the Afghan government will A former member of the High bassador in Pakistan. Religious tunity to open talks among the the way. The important thing we free 5,000 Taliban prisoners in Peace Council (HPC) attending scholars from 20 provinces at- Afghans and to achieve sustain- achieved through the agreement haven for international terror- ations, he noted, arguing the only exchange for 1,000 government the event said that the Constitu- tended today’s gathering in able peace. To seize the oppor- was that Taliban agreed that they ists." The militant movement also way to peace in Afghanistan was detainees by March 10. The rest tion of Afghanistan and civil Kabul. (TOLONews) tunity, he asked the Taliban to should … prevent Afghanistan agreed to reduction in violence to have an Afghan-led and Afghan- of prisoners will be freed in three honour their commitments. "We from once again becoming a safe and to start intra-Afghan negoti- owned peace process. (Pajhwok) months. (Pajhwok) Hakima Ahmadi, 34, who is the tions will be vulnerable. She sug- when they saw me among the po- “We made a series of arrests Network in Balkh. “Over 150 CHARIKAR: The Salang high- He said 50 centimeters of mother of four children, has gested that the government under- lice, they calmed down and were that are related to weapons and women serve in the police force way, linking the capital Kabul snowfall was recorded in the served in the ranks of the Af- take programs to increase the re- prepared to talk, so this is a great drugs. This is a great achievement in Balkh, they are conducting with northern Afghanistan, was northern part of the highway ghan National Police (ANP) in cruitment of women in the ranks achievement for female police of- for us,” said Anisa Amiri. duties in very important plac- shut for cargo trucks on Thurs- and 15 centimeters in the south- Balkh province for seven years. of the security forces. ficers,” said Hakima Ahmadi. “We hope that the women will es,” said Mohammad Ajmal Faez, day, an official said. ern portion. Clearing teams gave She says the presence of Hakima has participated in a Currently, there are about be able to play a more construc- the commander of the Balkh po- Samiullah Walizada, the been dispatched to the area. women within the ranks of the series of search operations in 150 women serving as police of- tive role in the ranks of the police lice. According to the Ministry highway maintenance command- In the winter, traveling the Afghan security forces is a ne- Chimtal district of Balkh. ficers in the ANP in Balkh prov- force. We need to pave the way of Interior, 2,800 female police er, told Pajhwok Afghan News busy highway is dangerous for cessity, and that without wom- “There was a brawl between ince. Anisa Amiri is another fe- and create a safe environment for officers are serving in the ranks the key route was closed for car- passengers due to heavy snow en in the security sector Af- the residents there. Some armed male officer who has served in them,” said Massouma Rahimi, of the police force in the coun- go trucks as a result of heavy and cold weather conditions. ghanistan’s security institu- women were beating the police, but the ANP for sixteen years now. director of the Afghan Women's try. (TOLONews) snowfall and strong winds. (Pajhwok) FRIDAY .MARCH 06, 2020 AFGHANISTANTIMES AFGHANISTAN TIMES Editor: Mansoor Ahmad Faizy Phone No: +93-797070563 E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.afghanistantimes.af 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, Saboor Sarir Graphic-Designers: Bilal Yusufi and Basir Qazizada Marketing & Advertising: Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0782344728, 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 117 The President shall appoint one of its members as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Members of the Supreme Court, except under circumstances stated in Article One Hundred Twenty Seven of this Constitution, shall not be dismissed till the end of their term. By Heather Barr for international terrorism at- system in which all Afghans have threatens to squeeze women out. tacks. It also triggers “intra-Af- equal rights, where the rights of The absence of clear information ghan” talks between the Taliban, women that are granted by Islam about what country will host the Editorial the Afghan government, and oth- — from the right to education to talks and who will facilitate them This is a moment of both fear and er factions, which are slated to the right to work — are protect- prevents women’s rights activists hope for Afghan women — and start March 10. But women’s ed.” Skeptics noted the comma from lobbying for including wom- an urgent time for the world to rights were not included in the separating women from equal en. support their hard-won rights. The Feb. 29 deal. Zalmay Khalilzad, rights, and that from 1996 to A fight over whether a release Feb. 29 deal between the US and the lead US envoy to the talks, 2001 the Taliban also argued that of prisoners will move ahead is the Taliban could pave the way repeatedly said that women’s women were enjoying all rights muddying the waters further and for a peace that Afghans desper- rights — and other issues relat- “granted by Islam.” The Afghan calling into question the timeline ately seek. But there are huge risks ing to human rights, political government has been an unreli- for the intra-Afghan talks. Mean- for women’s rights in this process. structures and power sharing — able supporter — and sometimes while violence, reduced ahead of Women have suffered deeply should be resolved through the even an enemy — of women’s the deal’s signing, threatens to In fact many development and stable countries across the globe during Afghanistan’s 40 years of subsequent intra-Afghan talks. rights. The administrations of escalate again. once were in turmoil and conflict—a situation that griped Af- war, and they desperately long for This has been a source of frus- both Afghan President Hamid Several years back it was peace. They have also fought fe- tration to activists. The Taliban Karzai and Ashraf Ghani have common to hear Afghan feminists ghanistan since four decades where not end sees in sight.