Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:51 Price: Afs.15

www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20. 2016 -Sunbula 30, 1395 HS

CEO rejects “negative” rumors, supports peace deal with HIA

AT Monitoring Desk that took place 15 to 20 minutes later, killing at least eight police- KABUL: At least eight Afghan men.” He added that this check- National Police (ANP) troops point was located in the Saki area By Farhad Naibkhel were killed in a US airstrike tar- of Trinkot. He added that it was geted their checkpoint in central for around ten years that this KABUL: The Chief Executive Uruzgan province, a provincial checkpoint was there in a bid to Abdullah Abdullah on Monday official said on Monday. The maintain security in the area. More- rejects all what he called “nega- checkpoint in the Saki area of over, US military spokesman Gen. tive rumors” and declared sup- Tirinkot, the provincial capital on port of the peace deal with the Charles Cleveland said the raid was Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan the Uruzgan-Kandahar road was conducted after a group of mili- (HIA) party led by Gulbuddin bombed on Sunday evening, tants attacked Afghan security Hekmatyar. Abdullah said that Highway Commander Haji Ra- personnel in Tirinkot. “I can con- “we have no tension about himullah told Pajhwok Afghan firm that we conducted an airstrike peace and its result with any News. Two raids were took against individuals firing on, and group.” “Our tension is about place, he said, adding that once posing a threat to, our Afghan part- war, because war puts negative police officer was killed in the ners in Tarin Kot (Trinkot) on 18 impacts on everyone and first raid, while seven others were September. We don’t have any fur- snatches opportunities from killed in the second airstrike. “Tal- ther information on who those in- people.” He assured that since iban had raised their white flags dividuals might have been or why beginning of the peace deal pro- in nearby areas, but their posi- they were attacking ANDSF forc- cess with HIA, he had been fol- tion was not pounded by the es. U.S., Coalition, and Afghan lowing it eagerly and sincerely. American,” he furthered. Further- forces have the right to self-de- “We have been involved in all more, provincial council member fense, and in this case were re- processes of the negotiations Zahir Naderi told Afghanistan sponding to an immediate threat. I and serious for the outcomes,” Times that there were two strikes would refer you to the Afghan in- he addressed a cabinet meeting. in the checkpoint. “First raid had He insisted that: “we were seri- terior ministry for any more infor- ous in reaching peace, which is no causality, but the second raid mation.” a big dream for people.” He highlighted that there was no point against the national inter- Three uprising ests in the HIA peace deal, thus NDS kills five Pakistani Kabul set to discuss Pakistan's it require us to be serious in im- members killed plementation of this agreement in future. Signing the deal would terrorists in Zabul in Faryab anti-terror policy at UN have positive impacts, but all problems won’t be solved, so known as Daesh militants, were AT News Report AT Monitoring Desk Afghan Second Vice President its responsibility for all to work arrested in eastern Nangarhar prov- together to cope with the chal- ince, officials said in that time, add- KABUL: Three members of the na- Sarwar Danish is likely to raise KABUL: The National Director- the issue of terrorism and Paki- lenge across the country in fu- ate of Security (NDS) said that its ing that they detained militants tional uprising forces were and nine ture, he mentioned. According were transferring classified docu- Taliban militants were killed in clash- stan's role in fighting the issue at operatives had killed at least five a UN General Assembly meeting to some reports, the peace coun- Pakistani terrorists in a Special ment to the group. The suspected es erupted between security forces cil had earlier said that the agree- Pakistani women were arrested in and militants in northwestern Fary- in New York on Tuesday. ment would be signed be the end Forces operation in southern Zab- According to Danish's media ul province. Kot district. ab province, provincial officials said of the week. It had said that The seized document con- on Monday. Police Chief, Brig. Gen. advisor, Mohammad Hedayat, technical issues of the draft “The operation was carried in Danish is representing Afghani- Naseran village of Mizan district tained information how to make Abdul Nabi Alham, told Pajhwok Af- were solved and it will be signed explosive devices and other weap- ghan News Taliban attacked several stan at the meeting. soon. Negotiation process be- of the province against al-Qaeda security posts in Ghormach, Almar, This comes as Afghan lead- terrorist network cell which was ons. There is no denying to the tween government of Afghani- Pashtonkot, and Khowaja Sabzposh ers have stepped up efforts to stan and HIA party has been operating in province, in which fact that Pakistan intelligence agen- districts of the province late on Sun- cy is making all out efforts to inform the world about challeng- started five months ago and fi- five Pakistani terrorist were killed,” day night. “Five uprising members es facing the war-torn nation – nally both side reached to agree- it said Monday in a statement. strengthen the foothold of Daesh were also wounded in the attack in ment over a draft comprised of group in Afghanistan. especially that of insurgency. According to statement, NDS Khowaja Sabzposh district,” he said, Government leaders are also 25 articles. HPC also said that also seized a number of weapons However, the arrest of two adding that five militants were also the peace deal between Hezb- Pakistani women, loyal to Daesh seen to be calling for more pres- and explosive devices during the received injuries. In another district, sure to be put on Pakistan to fight e-Islami and the Afghan govern- operation. is the clear indication of Pakistani’s Almar, he said that two more mili- ment was due to be signed be- support to the group. The Afghan terrorism. Kabul has for a while Pakistani militants are at large tants wounded during fight with se- insisted that Islamabad uses ter- fore the Eid holidays, but it was in country where they (militants) officials always pointed out blame curity forces. “Hundreds of Taliban peace and security and the war ers attending the summit meet at a postponed because of some finger toward Pakistani and its role rorism as a tool and that it is not against terrorism. Meanwhile, time that the scale of violence in despite standing beside Taliban militants equipped with mortar, fighting the trend with sincerity - technical issues. Hezb-i-Islami and al-Qaeda militants, they also for igniting war in Afghanistan. It rocket, machine guns and other heavy some Afghan political commenta- the militancy-riddled nation is hit- Afghanistan (HIA), led by Gul- is also provide that Pakistan pro- weapons stormed the Khowaja Sabz- claims Pakistan has always re- tors have urged the Afghan leader- ting new heights amid a surge in buddin Hekmatyar, had nodded stand with Daesh militants to fur- jected. "At the UN we will raise ther fuel insecurity in the country. vided safe hideouts to the Taliban, posh district yesterday (Sunday) ship to use the UN as an interna- Taliban insurgency and Pakistan's around five months ago to join as all high-profile Taliban leaders night,” Pajhwok quoted Ahmad a red card against terrorism, ter- tional platform to increase global alleged continued backing of the peace process and started ne- Earlier, two Pakistani women, ror backers whether it is Paki- loyal to the Islamic State, also were killed there. Fayaz, one of the uprising group pressure on Pakistan to fight ter- group. But a slight shift in tone by gotiation with the Government commanders, as saying. After rein- stan or someone else who sup- rorism honestly. "The US senate Washington towards Pakistan has of Afghanistan. Afghan govern- forcement dispatched, the Taliban ports the terrorists," said He- isolated Pakistan for the second been seen in recent weeks. ment welcomed the prepared- insurgents forced to push back, he dayat. Danish is expected to de- time, this time it was more seri- However some political ana- ness of HIA for peace parleys. REFUGEES RETURN IN said. “In a bid to stand against insur- liver a speech at the UN's 71st ous, Pakistan moves toward po- lysts have criticized President Recently people and some trib- gents, the related officials should fa- General Assembly on Tuesday litical isolation, and also the Af- Ashraf Ghani for not attending the al elders from different part of cilitate uprising groups with mod- afternoon and will reportedly ghan government is trying to in- summit as the majority of member Afghanistan also welcomed RECORD NUMBERS ern weaponries,” Fayaz said, adding highlight a number of key issues crease political pressure on Paki- nations are expected to be repre- peace deal with HIA and they that supping uprising forces is im- pertaining to Afghanistan and the stan," said political analyst Saleh sented by presidents. announced support from HIA Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi, Min- pendent directorate for housing portant in fight against militants. world including international Mohammad Registani. World lead- (ToloNews) joining to reconciliation process. ister of Refugees and Repatriation, development, said that Barikab on Monday said at the inaugura- town in Parwan province will be tion ceremony of Barikab Hous- built for return refugees. ing Project for return refugees, that "We provide for the people Hesarak security improves after military operation the number of Afghans returning land, infrastructure and facilities. to the country has reached record People should build houses for JALALABAD : The security sit- which had a great impact on the about health services, Malako Tribal elders in the town also said Walar suggested the district chief levels. Balkhi said on average, themselves to live in," Hotaki said. uation in the Hesarak district of district’s security scenario. “The Khan said the district clinic build- the security situation had im- should come close to local residents around 6,000 Afghan refugees re- Barikab residential town will eastern Nangarhar province has security situation of Hesarak was ing had been destroyed and he had proved compared to the past, but and listen to their problems and turn to the country daily - with become home to more than 15,000 improved following a military op- linked to security on the Sarobi informed the provincial governor said more efforts were required to improve cooperation with them, most of them coming in from Pa- internally displaced families as well eration against militants, the dis- road.” He said the failure to dis- about it. He said he had urged the further improve the situation. A otherwise the district would once kistan. This is the highest seen in as for those returning to the coun- trict chief said on Monday. patch logistics and other supplies governor to reconstruct the clinic Jabbarkhel tribe elder in Hesarak, again teeter on the brink of col- 14 years. "170,000 acres of idle try. Reports indicate that current- Malako Khan told Pajhwok to the town in-time brought the building on a priority basis and the Mohammad Naeem Walar, said the lapse. Another elder from Maroof land is now being used as the new ly around seven million Afghan cit- Afghan News during an interview district to the verge of collapse and governor had promised to do so. security situation in the district tribe, Attaullah Khan, also ac- (housing scheme) plans are fol- izens are refugees outside the coun- that after the Afghan National Ar- if the Sarobi road remained open, Nangarhar deputy public improved following the arrival of knowledged the security situation lowed," said Alemi Balkhi. try, with large numbers living in my’s special operation in Hesar- the district’s security situation health director Dr. Muqaddisa new district chief and security forc- in Hesarak had improved. “Shops "Now the number of Afghan Pakistan and Iran. Government of- ak, local, national and public order would never deteriorate. Miraj also confirmed the health es. He said the security situation have opened in the district bazaar refugees returning to the country ficials said that the National Uni- police had returned and as a result The official said all district clinic in Hesarak had been closed had been of great concern for the which remained deserted for fourth is higher than in the past 14 years," ty Government (NUG) is trying the situation had improved. government officials had resumed as a result of the conflict. She told past four months, but now hopes months, but our demand is that Balkhi added. to provide facilities for return ref- He said the security of the road attending offices, but structures of Pajhwok Afghan News they had for improvement had raised and it those suffered financial losses in Meanwhile, Elham Omer Ho- ugees in 29 provinces in the coun- leading to Hesarak from Sarobi dis- most of the public sector offices launched efforts and the clinic was expected the situation would the bazaar due to the conflict should taki, the general director of inde- try. (ToloNews) trict of Kabul had been ensured, had been damaged. To a question would be reopened to public soon. return to complete normalcy soon. be compensated.” (Pajhwok)

67: 38 65: 98

75: 15 72: 35 TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES

MAHMOD RAQI : Education of- ficials in central Kapisa province say they do not allow security forc- MOFCONDEMNS es to build checkpoints near schools to ensure a tension-free en- vironment for students and teach- NORTHKOREAN ers. Education Director Moham- mad Nasim Safi told Pajhwok Af- ghan News some districts of Kapisa were unstable where Af- NUCLEARTEST AS ghan forces were building security posts near schools. He added se- curity posts near or inside schools ‘UNSOUNDARMSRACE’ caused casualties to students and teachers whenever a clash took Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign place between Afghan forces and (MoF) Affairs has strongly con- militants.However, Safi said Af- demns North Korea’s 2016 nucle- ghan forces were no longer allowed ar test, which was conducted con- to construct security posts near trary to UN Security Council res- schools in unstable areas. olutions. “Security forces often set up MoF in a press release said to security posts close to schools in believe that these actions will fur- Tagab district that caused casual- ther escalate international tensions ties to teachers and students and and unsound arms race. damaged school buildings,” the di- “Afghanistan is calling for a rector pointed out. world and region free of any weap- Principles of schools had ons of mass destruction, and once shared the issue with the educa- again declares that it opposes the tion department, which took it up spread of weapons of mass de- sion on Friday that will allow it to with the central struction. It wants North Korea finally build an array of stronger, government.Officials of the min- to stop such tests and taking into smaller and lighter nuclear weap- istries of interior and defense have consideration the UN Security ons, a move strongly condemned promised security forces would no Council resolutions as well as the by the U.N. Security Council longer build posts near schools. law and practices of the Interna- which promised new measures Many schools that were closed tional Atomic Energy Agency co- against Pyongyang. as result of insecurity had been operate with the International The North’s fifth atomic test reopened by the education depart- Community in terms of prevent- and the second in eight months ment, Safi claimed. ing the spread of weapons of mass brought the U.N.’s most powerful “We have 274 education cen- destruction through peaceful body into emergency session, just tres, including general education, means,” the press statement said. three days after it strongly con- religious studies, primary and sec- The Afghan government un- demned North Korea’s latest bal- ondary education, in Kapisa. Some derscores on its perpetual status listic missile launches. 170,000 students are enrolled to resolve regional and international South Korea’s president said there,” he revealed. disputes through peaceful negoti- the detonation, which Seoul esti- Jan Agha, a schoolteacher from ations and diplomatic talks. mated was the North’s biggest- Tagab district, agreed the teaching- where security forces deployed a the evaluation manager of the edu- trict, alleged the enemies of educa- blast in front of the teachers’ train- “The Afghan Government ever in explosive yield, was an act learning process was faced with post has damaged as result of cation department was injured in tion were trying to create hurdles ing center in Hesa Doum Khoistan hopes that North Korea rather of “fanatic recklessness” and a sign problems in unstable clashes between Afghan forces and an Afghan forces ambush.” to stability. district about two months ago. than engaging in such tests, seeks that leader Kim Jong Un “is spi- areas.“Students cannot continue the Taliban.Schools in other inse- Kherullah, a resident of the “Some militants are out to cre- Provincial council head Hus- greater cooperation through con- raling out of control.” President their studies during operations or cure area are faced with similar Afghania area of Nijrab district, ate problems for students and sain Sanjani claimed much progress structive international negotia- Barack Obama condemned the test clashes, because they do not feel problems, Agha added. said students were injured at times teachers in areas where the securi- had been made in the education tions,” the statement added. and said the U.S. would never ac- safe.” A tribal elder, Haji Noorullah, in clashes while leaving or coming ty situation is better,” he added. area in Kapisa but the poor securi- North Korea said it conducted cept the country as a nuclear pow- He said a school that was built said education would not improve to school. Sayed Agha, an inhabit- He recalled four people includ- ty situation had created problems a “higher level” nuclear test explo- er. (ATN) for girls in Korghal area of Tagab in insecure areas.“Two years ago, ant of Hesa Awal Kohistan dis- ing women were killed in a bomb in some areas. (Pajhwok)

(Project Coordination Unit) Irrigation Restoration and Development Project NATIONALCOMPETITIVEBIDDING Invitation for Bids (IFB) For Procurement of Works for Rehabilitation/ Improvement of Khair Abad Canal Irrigation Scheme IFB No: MEW/PCU/IRDP/K-246/NIM/NCB Date:20-Sep-16

1. This Invitation for Bids follows the General Procurement Notice for this Project that appeared in Development Business published on 11 January 2011. 2. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock has applied for a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) and Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund(ARTF) toward the cost of Irrigation Restoration and Development Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this grant to payments under the Contract for the Sub project given in para 3 below. 3. The Project Coordination Unit, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Energy & Water, now invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for the Rehabilitation Works for Khair Abad Irrigation Scheme (Protection Wall, Lining and Reparing of Basin with Lining Structures and Ablution House etc.) in Chashma-e-Shore village of Char Asiab district, Kabul Province (K-246/NIM).The construction period is 17 months which includes slack period of 4 months for flood/adverse weather conditions and resolving community/farmers needs/disputes etc. 4. Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures specified in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits, dated January 2011 and revised in July 2014and is open to all bidders from Eligible Source Countries as defined in the Bidding Documents. 5. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from Eng. Fahima ‘Azim’, Deputy Director, Project Coordination Unit, Kabul Region,( Email: [email protected] Telephone: +93-779 240 738) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 to 16:30Hrs from Saturday to Thursday (Except public holidays). 6. Qualifications requirements include: (a) The minimum required annual volume of construction work for the successful bidder in any of the last five years - 20 Million Afs. (a) Experience as prime contractor in the construction of at least one works of nature and complexity equivalent to this work during the last five (5) years - 12 Million Afs. (b) Proposals for the timely acquisition (own, lease, hire, etc.) of the essential equipment as given in the bidding document. (c) Contract Manager with five years’ experience in works of an equivalent nature and volume, including no less than three years as Manager. (e) Liquid assets and/ or credit facilities,net of other contractual commitments and exclusive of any advance payments which may be made under the Contract 4.5 Million Afs. For detailed post qualification verification please refers to Section I - Instructions to Bidders and Section II- Bid Data Sheet of the bidding documents. A margin of preference for eligible national contractors/joint ventures shall not be applied. 7. A complete set of Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written Application to the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of 2,500 AFN. The method of payment will be Cash/Direct Payment. The Bidding Documents shall be collected by the bidders from the address below. 8. The bidders or their authorized representatives are invited to attend a pre-bid meeting which will take place on 10-Oct-16 at 10:00 AM in the meeting Hall (2nd floor) at the address given below to explain the procedure of proper preparation and submission of bid, clarify issues and to answer questions on any matter that may be raised at that stage. 9. Bids must be delivered to the address below at or before 19-Oct-2016 AM of 10-00 (if this date is announced an official holiday, then bids must be submitted next working day at the same time and venue). Electronic bidding shall not be permitted. Late bids will be rejected. Bids will be opened physically in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend in person at the address below at 19-Oct-16 AM of 10-00 10. All bids shall be accompanied by a “Bid Security” of amount: 400,000.00 Afghanis. 11. The address referred to above is: Eng. Fahima “Azim” Deputy Director PCU-Kabul Region Ministry of Energy & Water, PCU Regional Office-IRDP Behind Mahmood Tarzi High School, Darul Aman Road, Kabul, Afghanistan. Email: [email protected] Telephone: +93-779 240 738 TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Nangahar police academy be named after AT News Report Zarawar KABUL: Former president Hamid Karzai has met with a number of the Afghan migrants in Germany, Zahid his office said Monday. JALALABAD : The Nangarhar “Karzai who is for a visit in governor on Monday urged Pres- Germany, went to a school pro- ident Ashraf Ghani to name the vided by the German government EMERGENCY police training academy in the for the Afghan migrants,” it said in eastern province after the slain a statement. CALLS police chief, Zarawar Zahid. The statement added that the Salim Khan Kunduzi made migrants shared their problems Police the demand at a prayer service with the former president, asking for Zarawar Zahid in the pro- for further assistances from the vincial capital, Jalalabad. German government. 100 - 119 Brig. Gen. Zarawar Zahid “Karzai encouraged Afghan was killed in a roadside bombing students to get education, promis- Hospitals in the Hesarak district during an ing to cooperate in solving their ongoing operation last week. problems.” Separately, Karzai in FMIC Hospital His memorial service was Germany, granted the Charlie attended by tribal elders, govern- Award to the Serb footballer Neven Behind Kabul Medical ment officials, lawmakers from Subotic, according to the state- University: ment. The former president hand- Nangarhar, provincial council 0202500200-+93793275595 members and defence and secu- ed the award to Subotic during a rity forces officials. special ceremony held Friday to The governor called Zarawar which Karzai had attended. Rabia-i-Balkhi Hospital Zahid a real patriot who was al- The young Serb athlete also ways ready to sacrifice his life runs a relief foundation, which pro- Pule Bagh-e- Umomi in the defence of the country and vides the vulnerable people with 070263672 finally did so. “When Gen. Za- potable water. hid became Nangarhar police chief, the security situation here Khairkhana Hospital was very bad. On the day two 0799-321007 of assuming charge, Zahid moved to the Shinwari zone and entered TRADE-TRANSIT SUMMIT TOBEHELD 2401352 the fight against Daesh. He bravely fought against the Paki- stani forces at the Torkham bor- Indira Gandhi Children der and went on to protect the Hospital, Wazir Akbar people of Hesarak where he lost SOON IN ASHGABAD:GURBANGULY his own life.” Kunduzi urged the Khan, Kabul 2301372 president and the Ministry of In- The Turkmenistan President Gur- banguly Berdimuhamedow said,” terior to name the Nangarhar banguly Berdimuhamedow stated Establishing of the International police training academy after that soon the trade and transit airport in Ashgabad will grow the Ibn-e- Seena summit will be held in Ashgabat at mutual business between the coun- Zahid. Senate chairman Fazl Pul-e-Artan, Kabul Hadi Muslimyar, who attended the capital city of Turkmenistan, tries, our object is to turn Asgha- the fateha, also called Zarawar preparation process has been com- bad into a World trade center or 2100359 Zahid a real and brave soldier of pleted he insisted that inaugura- even closer to it, we have not only the country. Later speaking to tion of the big Ashgabat interna- take a step forward on building the reporters on the sidelines of the tional air port will pave the way International airport but also has Wazir Akbar Khan prayer service, Muslimyar indi- for growing significant business launched necessary measurements Hospital rectly accused the Pakistani in- and transit between the countries. on creating rail way, connecting to telligence agency of being behind He urged that rail way which water and even to European coun- 2301741, 2301743 the killing of Zahid. The Meshra- connects countries will boost the tries, establishing of rail from Turk- economy of the different countries menistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, no Jirga chairman urged the Tal- Ali Abad iban to renounce violence and specially the economy of Afghan- Tajikistan and Afghanistan is one join the peace process. “With- istan, Afghanistan Ambassador to of the significant elements of our Shahrara, Kabul out peace, the country cannot Turkmenistan stated by launching goals.” develop, I as a servant of the soil the following project Afghanistan He went on and said,” His 2100439 ask the Taliban to stop killing will benefit $ hundred million dol- Government is holding impartial their own brothers and join the lars annually. policy towards any countries in peace process.” A brother of Turkmenistan has taken nec- the world, and is committed to Malalai Maternity Zarawar Zahid, Haji Pashtun, essary measurements for launch- grow business and trade among the Hospital ing big economy projects within countries.” thanked the people of Nangar- 2201377/ 2301743 har, the governor and security the regional countries and the Meanwhile Afghanistan Am- officials for their cooperation world, Ashgabad is hosting differ- bassador to Turkmenistan Mirwais and guidance that made Zahid a ent economy sessions and summits Naab said,” All infrastructure Banks national hero. “Martyred Zahid where the representatives of dif- projects which are being launched only fulfilled the promise he held ferent countries from the world by the Turkmenistan and Afghan- Da Afghanistan Bank out to the people of Nangarhar attended, in the fresh act the Turk- istan as Drought Bridge will bene- on the day first of assuming of- menistan Government has inaugu- fited only from TAPI project about 2100302, 2100303 fice as the police chief. He had rated an International Airport with $ 4 million dollar annually.” told you he was not concerned the cost of $ 2 billion which annu- Officials in Turkmenistan have Bakhtar Bank about himself, but about the na- ally more than 25 million tons of claimed that efforts are underway tion.” (Pajhwok) commodities to be transited. to hold the big trade and transit 0776777000 Turkmenistan President Gur- summit in coming November with the participation of the NATO secretary General and representatives of the countries. (ATN) Azizi Bank 0799 700900 Pashtany Bank 2102908, 2103868 Air Services Safi Airways 020 22 22 222 Ariana 020-2100270 conservation community. endangered status, with the cate- different parts of Afghanistan, For more than 40 years people years and unleashing chaos which for food, habitat degradation and The global population of the gorisation of this new species still employing wildlife rangers and Kam Air believed the elusive Bactrian deer saw hundreds of thousands killed deforestation were all things that deer has increased from around 300 facing "assessment", according to promoting law enforcement in the 0799974422 was extinct in Afghanistan, unsur- and millions flee the country. A affected the Bactrian." in the 1960s to around 1,900 in Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the area. The Bactrian deer is also na- prising considering the conflict devastating civil war followed the A Mujahideen (mujahidin) 2011, partly as a result of conser- list. tive to the surrounding areas of Hotels across the country in that time. Soviet invasion and then the Tali- stands on a Soviet tank on Febru- vation efforts. "The assessment of this new Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmen- But then, unexpectedly, in ban installed themselves in 1996 ary 7, 1989 in Torkham, east of However, under the IUCN's species is in the process of being istan and Uzbekistan. Safi Landmark 2013, ecologist Zalmai Moheb and until they were ousted by a US- Jalalabad, after its capture. (Photo Red list, which keeps track of an- finalised for publication in Decem- "The presence of the Bactrian a team of researchers caught a led invasion in 2001. credit should read -/AFP/Getty imals under threat, the Bactrian ber", said Mr Hilton-Taylor. deer is very important for Afghan- 020-2203131 glimpse of one. The country has since then Images)Image copyrightAFP deer was until recently classified An employee feeds a deer (not istan," he said, adding that it was Their findings were recently maintained democracy, albeit with Image caption as a subspecies of the red deer- an believed to be a Bactrian) in an part of the nation's natural heri- SERENA published and the IUCN, the militants still active and dominant The conflict that consumed animal that is listed under a "least enclosure at the newly-populated tage. world conservation union and in certain regions and security in Afghanistan throughout the 1980s concern conservation status". Kabul zoo "Despite all the challenges in 0799654000 keeper of the Red List of endan- some parts by no means guaran- caused immense suffering. The Bactrian is now being Today, governmental organisa- conservation, you can feel the good gered species, is also now consid- teed. In addition, access to firearms merged with two other former Red tions and NGOs are working to- you're doing for humanity". ering reclassifying the deer, a move "We were not very confident meant anyone could easily shoot deer subspecies to better reflect its gether to conserve wildlife through (BBC) New Rumi Restaurant that would highlight just how vul- at the beginning, but we continued down animals - and the deer pop- nerable the animal still is. the search nevertheless," Mr Mo- ulation suffered as a result. 0776351347 It was an extraordinary mo- heb, a PhD student at the Univer- A number of the Bactrian deer, ment for Mr Moheb and one that sity of Massachusetts Amherst the exact figure of which is un- Internet Services tells a story - not just about the and wildlife ecologist with the known, are believed to have mi- UA Telecom animal and how it managed to sur- Wildlife Conservation Society, said grated to Tajikistan during the war, vive against the odds - but the as he described his mission. enabling them to escape the cross- 0796701701 / 0796702702 country too. He led a small team trying to fire in Afghanistan at the time. "We said to ourselves, 'wow, find a trace of the deer in the north, Mr Moheb believes that this Exchange Rate we are going to confirm the pres- in an area ostensibly at peace but is how many of the deer managed ence of this rare deer for this first with some security concerns. to survive. Purchase: time in 45 years when conserva- "Eventually we found one, However, guns aren't the only tionists had almost lost hope to which was very exciting," he said. things putting the Bactrian at risk find this animal again in Afghani- It was hoof marks and faecal today. One US$ = stan''", he said. pellets that led Moheb and his According to Mr Moheb, 66.90Afs The Bactrian deer, also called team to believe that the Bactrian wealthy families are believed to the Bukhara, is a rare sub-species deer could still exist. keep the rare animal as pets, only One Pound Sterling= of red deer, native to central Asia. "Finding field evidence gave us one of many obstacles the animal 86.32Afs They are typically found in ripar- hope that the species still existed has had to overcome. One Euro = ian habitats- areas where trees, in the area," said Mr Moheb, who Conducting research in an area shrubs and grasses grow along riv- came across the young female deer that has seen violence has also 74.28Afs er banks. in the Darqad district, along the proved a challenge at times and Mr 1000 Pak Rs = The Soviet-Afghan war border with Tajikistan. Moheb says entering the region 621Afs claimed millions of lives- and also Challenges in conservation was a "concern". had a huge impact on its surround- They didn't go in with much "We take every precaution to Sale: ings The deer was almost feared optimism, knowing that the vio- minimise the risks for us and our One US$ = lost in the 1970s, when research- lence that swept through the na- colleagues", he said. "Working in 67.10 Afs ers claimed that only 120 remained tion for more two decades was this field is sometimes challenging, One Pound Sterling= in a small pocket of north-eastern bound to have had an impact on but always interesting." Afghanistan, in the Takhar prov- the wildlife. Governmental organisations 87.12Afs ince, on the border of Tajikistan. "Conflicts have always been and NGOs are working together One Euro= Later that decade, in 1979, the detrimental, not only to a wild to conserve wildlife through dif- 74.88 Afs Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, species, but for the entire ecosys- ferent parts of Afghanistan 1000 Pak Rs= 629 heralding a war that lasted nine tem," said Mr Moheb. "Hunting But his find is a boost for the TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES Civil-military differences hold up CPEC security plan ISLAMABAD: Plans for opera- tionalising the Special Security Division (SSD) for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have been held up by civil-military wran- Former Sri Lankan president Ma- gling, multiple sources told Dawn. hinda Rajapaksa on Sunday dodged It is feared that the issue, if questions on floating a new political not resolved at the earliest, could party to challenge President potentially affect the CPEC time- Maithripala Sirisena’s regime, say- lines. ing a new outfit will be formed if The military had announced people are continued to be harassed. the raising of the SSD soon after “There is a chance that new party Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit will be formed when people contin- to Islamabad last year for the ue to be harassed,” he said as he evad- groundbreaking of CPEC projects. ed giving a clear answer at a gather- The division was to provide secu- ing in the north central province. rity to the Chinese personnel work- Rajapaksa allies from fringe parties ing on the CPEC projects through- have been asking the former strong- out the country. man to break away from Sirisena to But, a year and a half later there challenge him and contest the forth- are no agreed terms of reference coming local council elections under (ToR) that would govern the work- a new banner. The former president, ing of the SSD. whose nearly a decade-long rule was The government has been sit- ended by Sirisena in 2015, has not ting on the ToR proposed by the shown any overly keenness for the army clearly indicating it is not move. He has never left Sri Lanka comfortable with the draft. Freedom Party (SLFP) even during The role envisaged by the mil- its most turbulent times in the 1980s. itary for the SSD is to advise, guide Rajapaksa’s loyalists, who are MPs and ‘indirectly’ control the civil- elected from the SLFP’s broader al- ian law enforcement agencies in liance United People’s Freedom Al- issues related to the security of liance (UPFA), are currently band- CPEC projects. Besides, the SSD ed themselves to form a joint oppo- can act as ‘first responders’ in cas- sition against Sirisena. A smaller sec- es of threats to critical projects. tion of the SLFP in the alliance have The government’s apprehen- formed the unity government with sion is that such “wide-ranging Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesing- ToR” could expand military’s in- he’s United National Party (UNP). fluence on law enforcement agen- Rajapaksa said when his allies are cies at the cost of civilian adminis- being harassed, they will have no tration’s authority. option but to form a new political Delay in approval of the ToR party. Sirisena has replaced some of is preventing the commissioning of the Rajapaksa loyalists in the SLFP the first of the SSD wings –SSD- as electoral organisers. Some of Ra- North. japaksa’s key men have faced cor- Two wings of the SSD – ruption allegations and continue to North and South – are to be set be quizzed by the police for alleged up. As per the planning, the north- wrongdoings during the Rajapaksa ern wing’s jurisdiction covers the regime. His two sons and one broth- area between Khunjerab Pass on er have spent time in remand over the Pakistan-China border and financial misconduct. Rawalpindi, while the remaining stretch will be the southern wing’s responsibility. Though the army has estab- lished the SSD-North, the govern- ment is reportedly holding back the Military closely executive and financial approval for the SSD-South. “The government agreed in principle to the establishment of monitoring regional SSD-South, but the formal nod is still awaited,” a source disclosed. “No financial grant for the second wing has been given either,” the developments: Pak army chief source added. It is estimated that creation of a new wing could take about 12 to Army chief General Raheel Sharif 18 months. This implies that even said on Monday that the military if the approval is given now, the was fully cognisant of the current SSD-South will not be functional regional situation and its impact by the end of 2017, which is the on national security. time when CPEC’s early harvest The army chief’s comments projects would be nearing comple- came in the wake of vitriolic state- tion. Threats to CPEC Agartala: Any incident of terror Northeast have been busted and ments emanating from India after Security is a major concern for the Uri attack. “We are fully cogn- entire CPEC, which faces threats taking place in Bangladesh has im- their infrastructure demolished," plications for India as well, says he said, and added that the Bang- isant and closely watching latest from both regional and extra-re- happenings in the region and their gional players, a military official Indian High Commissioner to ladesh government has also hand- Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shring- ed over several militants and their impact on the security of Paki- says. stan,” Sharif said while addressing But security is particularly la. leaders to the Indian authorities. "Although there is not suffi- The Indian High Commission- a Corps Commanders’ Conference problematic in the area that has to at the GHQ in Rawalpindi. be secured by the SSD-South. The cient evidence of cross-border ter- er also hailed the Bangladesh secu- ror activity, consequential effect of rity forces for deft handling of the Army chief General Raheel Frontier Works Organisation, Sharif presiding over a Corps which is engaged with road a horrific incident taking place in situation and nabbing terrorists Bangladesh can be on India as well, after the deadliest terror attack in Commanders’ Conference at GHQ projects in Balochistan, has already in Rawalpindi on Monday Sep- lost 44 men, including 26 soldiers, as we share a long land boundary Dhaka on 1 July that killed 20 hos- tember 19, 2016. PHOTO: ISPR in the province in security-related with that country," Shringla told tages, mostly foreigners, in the Sharif expressed complete sat- incidents. IANS during a visit to Agartala. capital's diplomatic zone. isfaction over the operational readi- At present, there are close to He, however, expressed satis- "Bangladesh security forces ness of the Pakistan Army and 10,000 Chinese personnel work- faction that the Bangladesh author- were more or less successful in find- said: “The armed forces of Paki- ing on different projects across the ities have now realised that terror ing the blueprint of the recent ter- stan are fully prepared to respond country. Their number is expected activities could take a serious turn ror activities in their country. We to the entire spectrum of direct and to grow as the CPEC projects’ in their country, and they have met believe Bangladesh would be suc- indirect threats.” According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the external and internal security situation implementation progresses. with some success in dealing with cessful in containing terror activi- India blatantly trying to deflect and operational preparedness of the army were comprehensively reviewed on the occasion. “Pakistan’s Much like the troubled NAC- the recent acts of terror on their ties and threats from that coun- attention from Kashmir: Aziz armed forces together with our resilient nation have surmounted every challenge and will thwart any sinister TA (National Counter Terrorism soil. try," he added. Authority), there are also differ- The Indian envoy said, "Ever "The Bangladesh government ences over who would be in charge since the Bangladesh security forc- has involved people and all stake- of the SSD. The government thinks that the SSD has to be under the es have taken some pro-active holders, including Imams, to deal Cauvery Dispute:Nepal,Bangladesh worried interior ministry’s command steps, the situation in that coun- with terrorism and arrested many whereas the military has so far kept try has improved a lot. Bangladesh terrorists and their collaborators. itself in the lead and intends to has been mobilising the people of In fact, Prime Minister Sheikh about India’s ability to implement maintain that role. all sections to deal with the situa- Hasina has personally interacted Both civilian and military lead- tion emerging from the recent ter- with the authorities and stakehold- ers agree that CPEC is vital for the rorist attacks." ers in the 64 districts across the country’s future, but mutual ‘dis- Referring to the Home Minis- country to handle the situation," agreements over transboundary rivers trust’ is impeding cooperation be- ter-level meeting held in July in Shringla said. tween them on this critical ven- New Delhi, Shringla said that In- The District Magistrates and The recent flare-up between Kar- India’s neighbours dismayed once ter-state and international rivers nata Dal (United) – the violence ture. The civil-military differenc- dia and Bangladesh would fight Deputy Commissioners of the nataka and Tamil Nadu over water again. They want agreements with are central subjects. This has led after the court order was perhaps es are not limited to CPEC. terrorism jointly, as agreed upon border districts of India and Bang- has Nepal and Bangladesh worried India on transboundary rivers – to much confusion, and constitu- predictable. The Congress is now While the two have been keep- during the meeting, also because it ladesh are meeting regularly to ease about the ability of India’s central especially those in the Ganga and tion reform committees have sug- in power in the state. Political par- ing their divergences on CPEC se- is in their interests. out border-related issues of the government to implement agree- Brahmaputra basins. But they are gested that water be moved to the ties in Tamil Nadu – the All India curity under wraps, the differenc- "The Home Ministers of In- two countries, according to him. ments over transboundary rivers. once again unsure whether India “concurrent” list, so that the cen- Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhag- es between them on counter ter- dia and Bangladesh, during their "Both New Delhi and Dhaka have At least three persons were will have the inclination to enter tre can have a bigger say. But state am (AIADMK) and Dravida rorism are more pronounced. The killed, scores of buses, trucks and into agreements, or the ability to governments have consistently Munnetra Kazhagam DMK) be- last meeting in New Delhi, decid- delegated various powers to dis- shops were set ablaze and large implement any agreement that opposed any such move. With the ing the largest – have been just as military top brass has been pub- ed to tackle terrorism jointly, in trict-level officials to handle issues licly critical of the government’s parts of Karnataka in southern In- may be signed. bengaluru_pti Pro- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – intransigent. The AIADMK, now the common interest of the two that can be sorted out at their lev- dia were paralysed in the latest tests in Bangalore over Cauvery now in power at the centre – pro- in power in the state, did not change tardiness in the implementation of neighbours," he added. el." "India is fencing its borders the National Action Plan against bout of violence around the Cau- water. (Source: PTI) There were fessing to make India more feder- its attitude one iota this time. indi- The Indian diplomat main- with Bangladesh to check crimes, very river water sharing dispute many water experts from Nepal al, there is little possibility of any arivers India’s top expert on the extremism and terrorism. tained that if Bangladesh faces a terrorists' movement, cross-border The government had earlier with Tamil Nadu. Bangalore – Kar- and Bangladesh gathered inNew change in the foreseeable future. Cauvery dispute, S. Janakarajan of denied the military a formal role in threat, its potential impact on In- harmful activities and infiltrations. nataka’s capital and India’s infor- Delhi for an International River Refusal to share shortage At the the Madras Institute of Develop- the CPEC’s apex governing body. dia can't be ruled out. "Bangladesh Over 75 per cent of 4,096-km In- mation technology hub – was al- Symposium while the violence core of the latest violence is the ment Studies (MIDS), is convinced The proposed CPEC board was is very responsive to our security dia-Bangladesh borders have al- most totally shut down for three over Cauvery was at its height. All refusal by Karnataka’s politicians that there will be no solution as to have all services chiefs, but the concerns. Both countries are help- ready been fenced and remaining days. The consequent economic were wondering if there was any to have a more equitable share of long as the political parties call the government did not agree to the ing each other in dealing with the portions are being fenced in a loss has been estimated at INR point in discussing equitable wa- Cauvery waters in a season of shots. Commenting on the situa- creation and instead established a threats and the situation currently phased manner," the High Com- 25,000 crore (USD 3.74 billion). ter sharing arrangements or sus- shortage. This year, India has had tion two days after the violence steering committee, which had prevailing there." missioner added. The trigger was an order from tainable joint river basin manage- a near-average monsoon so far, but broke out, he said that farmers in similar composition as the CPEC Shringla, who joined as the Talking about the attacks on India’s Supreme Court to the Kar- ment in the current situation. One the national average masks many Karnataka were not responsible for board, but minus the services High Commissioner in Bangladesh minorities in that country, Shring- nataka state government in early expert from Nepal said, “Let India local shortages. Over 90% of Kar- the violence, though they were chiefs. in January 2016, was in Tripura la said that some isolated incidents September to release 15,000 sort out its own problems first. nataka has had deficit rainfall so being blamed for it. “This violence Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif as part of his visit to the five Indi- of attacks did take place, but the cusecs (cubic feet per second) of There is no point in talking to the far in this monsoon season, which is being instigated by political par- had in his Defence Day speech an states along the Bangladesh bor- Bangladesh Government has tak- water from the Cauvery to down- Indians before they do that.” An- usually lasts from mind-June to ties that practise vote bank poli- emphasised on “timely completion der. He met Tripura Chief Minis- en appropriate actions immediate- stream Tamil Nadu every day till other expert from Bangladesh said, mid-September. The result is that tics, and is being carried out by and protection” of CPEC, saying ter Manik Sarkar, Chief Secretary ly and addressed the issues. September 20. After two days of “Now I understand why India reservoirs in the Karnataka section professional hooligans. Which it was Pakistan’s national under- Yashpal Singh and various other "A number of perpetrators of violence, the court reduced the fig- could not sign the Teesta agree- of the Cauvery basin are as half as farmer will set a bus on fire when taking. The Chinese too have been officials and dignitaries and dis- attacks on minorities were either ure to 12,000 cusecs a day, while ment despite the best efforts of full as they should be. It is exactly he knows that means there will be sternly rebuking the Karnataka the central government. India’s the same situation in downstream no bus service to his village? Which underscoring the importance of cussed India-Bangladesh issues. arrested or killed by the Bangladesh security for the project. Chinese government for its failure to main- federal structure may be good on Tamil Nadu, which is in the mon- farmer will come all the way to "Bangladesh security forces' security forces," he added. tain law and order. paper, but it is definitely not to soon rain shadow anyway, and gets Bangalore to set shops on fire?” Ambassador Sun Weidong recent- actions against the militants holed Five states of India — West ly said that both “construction and The Cauvery water dispute the benefit of Bangladesh.” The most of its rainfall in winter. In Farmers’ dialogue the solution up in northeast India were instru- Bengal (2,216km), Tripura has a long and bitter history. Its signing of the Teesta agreement was this situation, the Supreme Court In an effort to find a solution safety of CPEC” would have to go mental in securing peace and sta- (856km), Meghalaya (443km), side by side. “We look forward to implications now go beyond In- stymied at the last moment by the effectively ordered the two states to the Cauvery dispute, MIDS bility in India's northeastern region. Mizoram (318km) and Assam dia. The failure of the authorities government of West Bengal. Un- to share the pain. Given the record convened a series of dialogues be- creating a safe and sound environ- Most of the camps (on Bangladesh (263km) — share longest 4,096- ment for CPEC along with the Pa- to implement orders of statutory der India’s federal Constitution, of all powerful political parties in tween farmers of Karnataka and kistani side,” he had observed. land) of militants active in the km border with Bangladesh. tribunals or the judiciary has left water is a state subject, while in- Karnataka – Congress, BJP and Ja- Tamil Nadu from 2003 to 2011. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTAN TIMES News-in-Brief US, Japan, Yemen moves South Korea central bank HQ ministers to Aden discuss Yemen’s exiled president Ab- drabbu Mansour Hadi appoint- ed Finance Minister Monasser tougher Al Quaiti as head of the coun- try’s central bank on Sunday, The issue of what to do about the measures the state-run sabanew.net news world’s 65.3 million displaced peo- agency reported. ple takes center stage at the Unit- against The decree announcing the ed Nations General Assembly on appointment included a decision Monday when leaders from around to move the bank’s headquar- the globe converge on New York North Korea for the first-ever summit on Ad- ters from the capital Sanaa to Foreign ministers for the United dressing Large Movements of Ref- the southern port city of Aden, States, Japan and South Korea met ugees and Migrants. according to the report. in New York on Sunday, ahead of Hadi also appointed Ahmed With more people forced to flee their homes than at any time UN meetings, to discuss stepped- Obaid Al Fadhli to replace Al up measures against North Korea since World War II, leaders and dip- Quaiti as finance minister, it and expand collaboration with one said. lomats are expected to approve a document aimed at unifying the another after Pyongyang’s fifth The central bank has been and largest nuclear test. UN’s 193 member states behind a the last bastion of the impover- The Sept. 9 blast was in defi- more coordinated approach that ished country’s financial system ance of UN sanctions that were protects the human rights of refu- amid a civil war and is effective- tightened in March. gees and migrants. ly running the economy, accord- The meeting between US Sec- “It’s very interesting because ing to central bank officials, dip- retary of State John Kerry, Japa- lomats and Yemenis on both if we are able to translate that pa- nese Foreign Minister Fumio sides of the war. per into a response in which many Kishida and their South Korean Hadi is backed by a Saudi- actors are going to participate, we counterpart, Yun Byung-se, was led Arab coalition, which has will solve a lot of problems in emer- the first since the latest nuclear gency responses and in long-term been waging an offensive trying test. It will be one of the main is- to roll back gains made by the refugee situations like the Syrian situation,” Fillipo Grandi, the sues discussed by world leaders at Iran-backed Houthi militias the United Nations General As- since 2014. UN’s High Commissioner for Ref- sembly this week. His government asked inter- ugees told The Associated Press. In a joint statement, the min- That may prove an uphill strug- national financial institutions isters said North North’s disregard gle, however, as the document is last month to prevent central for multiple UN resolutions pro- not legally binding and comes at a bank officials from accessing hibiting its missile and nuclear pro- state funds held in overseas time that refugees and migrants have become a divisive issue in grams called for even stronger in- banks, sabanew.net reported on ternational pressure. August 6. Europe and the United States. North Korea has been testing A number of countries reject- The government has ac- nuclear weapons and ballistic mis- ed an earlier draft of the agreement cused the Iran-allied Houthis of siles at an unprecedented rate this that called on nations to resettle squandering some $4 billion on year under leader Kim Jong Un. 10 percent of the refugee popula- the war effort from central bank “They discussed the impor- reserves, but the Houthis say tion each year, something that has tant work currently taking place the funds were used to finance led a number of human rights groups to criticize the document in the Security Council to further imports of food and medicine. “Instead of sharing responsi- Shetty said in a statement. and migrants laid the basis for the see, my report was a strong one,” sanction North Korea and consid- as a missed opportunity. The U.S. bility, world leaders shirked it. The Shetty said the agreement summit document, said he was Ban said. “I hope that, as the two ered other possible measures of and a number of other countries UN summit has been sabotaged by merely kicks the can down the aware of the criticism from non- compacts are adopted over the their own, in particular ways to also objected to language in the states acting in self-interest, leav- road by calling for separate global governmental groups. coming year and a half, some stron- Turkish police original draft that said children further restrict revenue sources for ing millions of refugees in dire sit- compacts for refugees and migrants “While we all wish it could be ger language and commitment and the DPRK’s missile and nuclear detain 40 over should never be detained, so the uations around the world on the to be adopted within two years. a stronger outcome document ... elements from the report will re- agreement now says children programs, including through illicit edge of a precipice,” Amnesty In- Secretary-General Ban Ki- all 193 member states had to agree appear in the course of this nego- activities,” the ministers’ state- should seldom, if ever, be detained. links with ISIS ternational Secretary General Salil moon, whose report on refugees on their commitment. As you will tiation.” ment said. Turkish counter-terror police “They reaffirmed that they detained 40 foreign nationals in remain open to credible and au- raids in Istanbul over their sus- thentic talks aimed at full and ver- pected links with ISIS, Turkey’s ifiable denuclearization of the Moscow: Strikes on Syria Rival Libyan DPRK,” the statement said, refer- state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Sunday. ring to the country’s formal name, Police carried out simulta- the Democratic People’s Republic neous raids to 23 addresses in of Korea. army threaten factions battle The United States has said it Istanbul’s conservative Fatih district detaining suspects from is willing to negotiate with the Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Az- North if the country commits to erbaijan, Anadolu said. US-Russia ceasefire plan over eastern oil denuclearization, which Pyongy- Some suspects are identified ang has refused to do. as having gone to the conflict Washington has pressed areas inside Syria several times, Beijing, which is Pyongyang’s Anadolu said. ports most important diplomatic backer Turkey has suffered a se- and trading partner, to do more to ries of suicide bombings and at- Eastern Libyan forces loyal to mil- poration (NOC) prepared to re- rein in North Korea. tacks by ISIS and Kurdish mili- itary leader Khalifa Haftar said start oil exports from the ports, China has expressed anger tants over the past year. It they had re-established control blockaded for several years. "This with North Korea for its largest launched its first major military over two oil ports where an oust- situation highlights the contradic- nuclear test to date, but has not incursion into Syria last month ed faction launched a counterattack tion and complication of the NOC," said directly whether it will sup- to push extremists away from on Sunday, briefly seizing one of reported Al Jazeera's Mahmoud port tougher sanctions. It has said its border and prevent Kurdish the terminals. Abdel Wahed from Tripoli. "NOC it believes sanctions are not the fighters from seizing territory as The Petroleum Facilities is supposed to be loyal to the Gov- ultimate answer and called for a they retreated. Guard - an armed group led by Ibra- ernment of National Accord, but it return to talks. At least seven suspected him Jathran and loyal to the Tri- recently welcomed Haftar's con- suicide bombings across Turkey poli-based government - said it trol of the oil terminals." Haftar - since July 2015, which have staged an attack on Sunday on two who sees himself as Libya's sav- Sudan threatens killed more than 250 people, of the oil ports captured by iour after driving out armed groups to shut its border have been blamed on ISIS. Haftar's forces last week. from most of the country's second A network of suspected Haftar's troops had seized the city Benghazi - is the most pow- with South over Turkish ISIS militants is respon- ports of Ras Lanuf, Al-Sidra, Zu- erful backer of the rival adminis- sible for at least two of the at- waytina, and Brega in the so-called tration in the east. Days after the rebels tacks, Turkish prosecutors have oil crescent along the coast, which ports fell under his control, the said in legal documents, while were then handed to the National east-based parliament promoted foreign members of the group Oil Corporation. Haftar to field marshal from his were accused of being behind the Muftah al-Muqarief, who previous rank of general. The suicide bombing at Istanbul heads oil guards loyal to Haftar, GNA is the centrepiece of UN ef- Ataturk airport in June. said Sunday's counterattack was forts to restore stability and forge launched from the west by "mili- a central authority capable of tack- Germany: Merkel's tias backed by outlaws". ling the twin scourges of a signifi- "We repelled the attack and we cant Islamic State group presence are chasing them in the region," he and rampant people trafficking party suffers loss in Moscow stepped up its war of fence Ministry said US jets had ber of wounded. Two US officials Sudan on Sunday threatened to words with Washington on Sun- killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers also confirmed that a tank was said, adding that "some" assailants across the Mediterranean to Eu- Berlin election had been captured. rope. shut its border with South Sudan day, saying air strikes by a US-led in the eastern Syrian city of Deir among the vehicles hit in the strike, used by refugees fleeing conflict if coalition on the Syrian army al-Zor in four air strikes by two F- raising more questions about what The Tripoli-based Govern- German Chancellor Angela Mer- ment of National Accord (GNA) Juba failed to “fulfil its commit- threatened the implementation of 16 and two A-10 fighter jets com- kind of intelligence led the coali- ment” of expelling insurgent kel's party has suffered an elec- a US-Russian ceasefire plan for ing from the direction of Iraq. tion aircraft to conclude ISIS mili- has struggled to assert its authori- toral blow in Berlin state elec- ty over the country since it was groups battling Khartoum. Syria and bordered on connivance Syrian UN Ambassador tants were operating the military South Sudan split from Sudan tions, two weeks after her Chris- with ISIS. Bashar Ja’afari charged that US- equipment. formed in December last year. tian Democrats (CDU) party Oil is Libya's key asset, and in 2011 under a peace deal that The diplomatic dispute heat- led strikes were aimed at torpedo- “The actions of coalition pi- ended a 22-year civil war, but Juba came third in an eastern state ed up on the last day of a seven- ing the ceasefire but France’s for- lots - if they, as we hope, were not revenue from crude exports is vi- amid a growing backlash against tal if the GNA is to rebuild the and Khartoum have traded allega- day ceasefire marred by a surge of eign minister, speaking in New taken on an order from Washing- tions of supporting each other’s her immigration policy. violence as warplanes hit the stra- York, placed the main blame for ton - are on the boundary between economy and infrastructure of the The anti-immigrant party North African nation, ravaged by rebels on their territory, charges tegic northern city of Aleppo for truce violations on President criminal negligence and connivance which both countries deny. Alternative for Germany (AfD) the first time since the truce came Bashar al Assad’s government. with ISIS terrorists,” Russia’s For- violence and conflict between fac- gained support, capitalising on tions since the 2011 uprising that Sudan has regularly accused its into effect. In another blow to The Britain-based monitoring eign Ministry said in a statement. neighbor of aiding rebels in its war- anger over Merkel’s open-door hopes for the ceasefire, the gover- group Syrian Observatory for “We strongly urge Washington led to the toppling of the late lead- refugee policy that has allowed er Muammar Gaddafi. torn Darfur, Blue Nile and South nor of Homs said several hundred Human Rights said a military to exert the needed pressure on the Kordofan regions. “South Sudanese one million asylum seekers into rebels would be evacuated from the source at Deir al-Zor airport re- illegal armed groups under its pa- The loss of the ports was a Germany, with 70,000 of them blow to the GNA, which set up Vice President Taban Deng had giv- last rebel-held district of the Syri- ported at least 90 Syrian soldiers tronage to implement the ceasefire en assurances that Juba will expel coming to Berlin. an city on Monday, prompting were killed in the strikes. plan unconditionally. Otherwise base in the capital in March, AfD, which has campaigned months after it was created as the rebels within 21 days after his trip rebels to warn any such step A US official said the US mil- the implementation of the entire to Khartoum,” Sudan’s Minister heavily on the refugee issue, would amount to the government itary believed reports that about package of the US-Russian accords result of a UN-backed power-shar- managed to garner 12.2 percent ing agreement. The fighting came of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal declaring the end of the truce. 60 Syrian troops were killed but reached in Geneva on Sept. 9 may Ismail said, quoted by Sudan Me- of the vote and will enter its On Saturday, the Russian De- declined to speculate on the num- be jeopardized.” as the state-run National Oil Cor- tenth regional assembly of the dia Centre, close to the powerful country's 16 states. National Intelligence and Security CDU's coalition partner, the Service. Social Democrats (SPD), also “If the government of South lost support, falling to 23.1 per- Sudan fails to fulfil this commit- cent from 28.3 percent but re- ment, then the government of Sudan will close the border and also mained the biggest party and is Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister train, arm and facilitate acts likely to ditch Merkel's party stop sending humanitarian aid to Adel al-Jubeir has responded to his of terrorism,” Jubeir South Sudan,” he said. “South from their current coalition. Iranian counterpart saying that wrote. The Social Democrats, Sudan must take a political deci- Tehran “cannot whitewash its Jubeir went further sion to expel these rebel groups.” Merkel's junior coalition part- record on terror,” in an op-ed pub- and added that if Iran was ner at the federal level, may Deng visited Khartoum on lished by the Wall Street Journal. ready to demonstrate sin- August 21-22, on his first trip as strike deals with Greens and the His comments published on cerity in contributing to Left party, each of them getting vice president, and held talks on Sunday came as a response to a the global war on terror- outstanding issues between the 16.5 percent of the vote. Sept. 13 New York Times op-ed ism then “it could have A backlash against the chan- two countries since Sudan’s north- written by Mohammad Javad begun by handing over al south split. Sudanese President cellor's immigrant policy has Zarif. Qaeda leaders who have raised questions about whether Omar al-Bashir had ordered the “The fact is that Iran is the enjoyed sanctuary in Iran.” reopening of the frontier with Merkel, Europe's most power- leading state-sponsor of terrorism, “These have included ful leader, will stand for a fourth South Sudan on January 27 after with government officials directly Osama bin Laden’s son, years of tense relations between term next year. "There is no responsible for numerous terror- Saad, and al Qaeda’s chief question, we didn't get a good the two neighbors, including dis- ist attacks since 1979… Nor can of operations, Saif al-Adel, putes over several border areas. result in Berlin today," said one get around the fact that Iran along with numerous oth- Michael Grosse-Broemer, a se- Tens of thousands of people uses terrorism to advance its ag- er operatives guilty of at- have died in South Sudan and more nior CDU politician. However, gressive policies. Iran cannot talk tacks against Saudi Arabia, he blamed his party's historic than 2.5 million driven from their about fighting extremism while its the US and other targets,” homes since a brutal civil war losses in Berlin primarily on lo- leaders, Quds Force and Revolu- the Saudi foreign minister cal issues. erupted in the world’s youngest tionary Guard continue to fund, added. country in December 2013. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 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] Email: [email protected] www.afghanistantimes.af By Rachel Shabi Photojournalist: M. Sadiq Yusufi Last week, Britain's former prime minister broke anoth- Advisory editorial board er promise - honestly, we've Saduddin Shpoon, Dr. Sharif Fayez, Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Dr. Sharifa Sharif, lost count of these - by an- nouncing he would be retir- Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Setara Delawari, Ahmad Takal ing from politics. David Cameron, who will Graphic-Designer: be remembered as the Unit- Edriss Akbari, Bilal Yusufi ed Kingdom's Conservative Marketing & Advertising: Party leader who needless- ly took the country out of the Mohammad Parwiz Arian, 0708954626, 0778894038 European Union, resigned as Mailing address: P.O. Box: 371, Kabul, Afghanistan prime minister on the morn- Our Bank Accounts: Azizi Bank: 000101100258091 / 000101200895656 ing that this referendum de- cision was announced in late Printed at Afghanistan Times Printing Press June. But now, with the coun- try still reeling from this his- The constitution says toric decision and with the Conservative government Article 128: evidently still clueless as to Article One Hundred Twenty-Eight: In the courts in Afghanistan, trials shall how to actually enact it, Cameron has quit the politi- be held openly and every individual shall have the right to attend in cal stage altogether. UK's accordance with the law. In situations clarified by law, the court shall hold former PM David Cameron secret trials when it considers necessary, but pronouncement of its resigns from parliament decision shall be open in all cases. Totally unprepared The fact that he took such a big gamble with his own country, which he claims to love, overshadows other er- rors - although it inevitably ph into a EU cheerleader. of insufficient information, This sense of frustration is informed by other calam- But it was deeper than Britain and France lost inter- at Cameron's recklessness itous policies he initiated, too. that: the inequality and hard- est in the country, leaving the will doubtless be shared by The EU referendum was ship that Cameron not only political and security situa- leaders across Europe, a political decision, intended presided over but actively tion to deteriorate. knowing that Cameron, nev- to assuage the right-wing of exacerbated in the UK - food Inevitably, Libya quickly er a real team-player in Cameron's own Conserva- banks, zero-hour contracts, descended into violence and project Europe, has now se- tive Party, and cauterize sup- a starved welfare state, the lawlessness, creating the riously jeopardised the future port for the Eurosceptic, list goes on - made the ref- optimum conditions for the of the EU. Illiteracy rate is too high in Afghanistan. The country direly needs right-wing populist UK Inde- erendum impossible to win. Islamic State of Iraq and the Much like those of one pendence Party, or UKIP. For people who see the Levant (ISIL) to take root. of his predecessors, the well-educated people in different sectors to become self-suffi- On the day Britain decid- EU as the cause of their On top of which, the vio- former Labour Prime Min- cient as currently people of different nationalities are working ed by 52 percent of the vote neglect and poverty, Cam- lence spread beyond Libya, ister Tony Blair - whom to quit the EU, Manuel eron could hardly say that, quickly devastating Mali as Cameron cites as a role here to fill the vacuum in the job market. They are employed by Lafont Rapnouil, the Paris actually, that wasn't because well as spilling out across model - Cameron's foreign both private and public sectors. As a matter of fact over half of head of the European Coun- of the EU so much as the Africa and the Middle East policy errors carry an air of cil on Foreign Relations, ob- ideological and ravaging aus- - enabling and strengthening arrogance, self-interest and the total population is illiterate. Most of those who are educated served that it wasn't Cam- terity cuts that formed a core al-Qaeda in the Islamic miscalculation, with terrible lack the necessary skills. They are not produced according to the eron's decision to call the plank of his government's Maghreb, which regularly and far-reaching conse- referendum that astonished domestic policy. launches terror attacks in the quences. But Cameron, job market. Therefore, there is extreme shortage of skilled work- EU member states; no, it Miscalculation on all region. much like Blair, will never force. It is not only responsibility of the government to fill the was the idea that he was not fronts The security vacuum in materially feel the devastat- gap but also of the universities, parents, intellectuals, religious better prepared to win it. This lack of planning and Libya has also meant that ing consequences of his mis- Indeed, Cameron's Con- forethought was similarly on migrants as well as weap- takes. scholars, political leaders and tribal elders. servative Party, which man- display in his decision to in- ons can more easily be A former PR man from It is duty of the parents to send their children to schools and aged to persuade only 39 vade Libya in 2011. smuggled across the Medi- the most privileged section percent of its voters to re- Days after he stepped terranean and into Europe. of British society, Cameron universities. The government alone cannot educate the nation by main in the EU, was perhaps down as a backbench MP, So, in a terrible chain re- has a memoir in the pipeline forcing the parents to send their children to educational insti- the least equipped to make the British Foreign Affairs action of events, Cameron's and, almost certainly, some the case for the EU. Select Committee found that actions in Libya helped cre- preposterously well-paid tutes. As we know that the writ of the government is weak in Much like those of one military intervention in Lib- ate exactly the kind of insta- gigs on the speaking circuit many areas of the country; thus, religion scholars, tribal elders of his predecessors, Tony ya was "ill-conceived" and bility that resulted in a surge in the works, too. Blair, Cameron's foreign pol- lacked a coherent strategy - in refugees, hostility to If the penance for his and political leaders also have responsibility to fulfill in this icy errors carry an air of ar- holding Cameron "ultimate- which was then manipulat- political errors is leaving par- regard. They should launch awareness drive in their villages and rogance, self-interest and ly responsible". ed to fuel the Brexit vote. liament, the lucrative en- miscalculation, with terrible Cameron, second left, When, earlier this year - gagements and handsome towns to encourage parents to send their sons and daughters to and far-reaching conse- and French President Nico- months before Brexit - US financial rewards now schools. Without their support, fighting illiteracy will remain only quences. las Sarkozy, fourth left, are President Barack Obama awaiting him will surely soft- Having bemoaned the greeted by the National described the Anglo-French en the blow. a pipeline dream with no hope of realization. constraints of the Union and Transitional Council head intervention in Libya (or Rachel Shabi is a jour- Sadly, little attention has been paid to female education in the having rallied against immi- Mustafa Abdul Jalil, be- more accurately, its after- nalist and author of Not the grants - though he is not, to tween them, and pro-NTC math) as a "shitshow", his Enemy: Israel's Jews from country; though, there is continued debate regarding development be fair, the only European combatants as they arrive at frustration with Cameron - Arab Lands. of the country by empowering and educating girls and women. leader to do so - at a time the Tripoli Medical Centre in whom he described as fail- The views expressed in People from all walks of life realize that girls’ education is im- when Europe desperately September 2011 [Reuters] ing to rebuild Libya because this article are the author's needed a unified approach to Having intervened to re- he was "distracted by a own and do not necessarily portant as it would boost the development process and strengthen the migration crisis, Cam- move Libyan dictator Mua- range of other things" - was reflect Al Jazeera's editorial the national economy. Yet, very little has been done for promo- eron couldn't credibly mor- mmar Gaddafi on the basis barely disguised. policy. tion of girls’ education. Many parents in remote parts of the country are not ready to send their daughters to schools and universities. Taboos are major barrier that restrict thousands of girls to the boundary walls of their homes. Street harassment is another seri- ous social challenge. Therefore, it is social obligation of the all and sundry to em- power girls and women by allowing them to get education with- out any let or hindrance. In addition to that the intellectuals in- cluding media-persons should emphasize on promotion of the study culture. Afghanistan needs educated and creative brains. We can produce educate brains by promoting study culture. As far as the role of the government is concerned, the relevant authorities should provide subsidy on books so people will find it easy to buy books of their interest.

nt me Subscription Rates rn ve Fee Go Categories Afghanistan Times Annual Afg: 3600 at your door step For fast delivery service Six Months Afg: 1800 Afghanistan Times seeks the names, addresses of your International Organization $200 per year organizations and the number of copies you want. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Iraq's regional decentralisation debate is heating up By Michael Knights Kirkuk could permanently sepa- to enact martial law in these gov- rate this area from the KRI, or ernorates. The decentralisation of security, strengthen local Kirkuki leaders in As advocates of devolution spending and administrative pow- relation to the political parties of say: There is probably never a er is regularly cited as a means of the KRI. As a result, Governor "right time" to start this touchy reducing tension in a post-Islamic Karim has found himself under at- process. But today is arguably one State Iraq. The logic is commend- tack from all sides. of the least promising moments due able: If Sunnis and Kurds are freer Now, the battle of Mosul is to the extraordinary fragility of the to manage their own affairs, then nearing, and the city might even be country and the political discord they will have more stake in coop- liberated before year's end. Al- in Baghdad and the KRI. eration with Baghdad, and there ready, there is an open debate on Most international partners are will be less room for the Islamic whether Nineveh province, centred unlikely to back regional formation State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, on Mosul, should become a KRI- efforts in Mosul or Kirkuk now also known as ISIS) to operate style region encompassing multi- because of their potential to derail along the tense, dividing lines be- ple new provinces. Baghdad-KRI cooperation or ex- tween central Iraq and the north- Kurdish Peshmerga forces acerbate local-level tensions in lib- ern and western peripheries. walk as smoke rises after an attack erated areas. Easy to say, harder to do. In at Bai Hassan oil station, north- Instead, a better model for to- decentralisation, the devil is in the west of Kirkuk, Iraq [Reuters] day's conditions may be a strong detail. How much input should There's some value to this idea. multi-province push for wider im- Baghdad versus local actors have Urban Mosul and rural Arab Nin- plementation of the significant de- in the recruitment of local security eveh are led and populated by very centralisation measures contained forces? Which spending should distinct social and tribal groups, in Iraq's 2008 Law on the Provinc- ministries versus provincial coun- respectively. Sinjar district to the es Not Organised into a Region, cils control? How much money will west is heavily Yezidi; Tall Afar also known as the "provincial pow- be sent to the local level? And who district next door is Turkmen-dom- ers law". controls the oil? inated, including many Shia Turk- Baghdad politicians prefer this Islamic State gains presence in men. The Nineveh Plains to the model because it does not threaten Iraq's Kirkuk east of Mosul are populated by to create permanent new regions These issues are being active- Christians, Shabaks and Yezidis. like the KRI with their own con- ly debated across Iraq, and strong State of shock stitutions, laws, armed forces and emotions are the result. In disput- One day, this might be a reali- energy policies. KRI-style regions, ed Kirkuk - claimed by Kurds, ty, but it is arguably too early - which include their own parlia- Turkmen and Arabs - the prov- and too dangerous - to seriously ments and ministries, require a lot ince's dynamic governor, Najmal- debate this issue today. Moslawis of effort to develop; the Kurds had will be in a state of shock when to build these institutions over a din Karim, has welcomed an open By Daoud Kuttab isations in East Jerusalem to Israel's own municipal elec- The Israeli police, which debate on the issue of how the they are liberated, and they will be decade when they were cut off keenly watching to see if the re- from Saddam's Iraq. The Palestinian High Court has continue to function. tions and those elected for East has sovereignty over East province should be governed in done something extraordinary. Institutions such as the Jerusalem's municipal council Jerusalem, is often reluctant to future. Three options turn of outside forces is in their Building these structures in interest or not. This is a time for resource-strapped Kirkuk or new- On September 8, it suspended chamber of commerce and the will not be allowed to sit in the follow up on complaints by the There are three options. De- the Palestinian municipal elec- Orient House acted as a de fac- Israeli-run city council. local population, forcing them pending on a referendum result reassuring small steps in the right ly-liberated Mosul may be imprac- direction, not for the earth-shat- tical at present. As the battle of tions scheduled for October 8. to local government, but Israel Symbolic elections to pay the protection money or Kirkuk could join the multi-prov- While the decision came as a soon reneged on its commit- But even symbolic elec- do what some of these gangs ince Kurdistan region of northern tering redrawing of the map. Mosul looms, it may be worth- Though every group might ul- while placing on the back burner result of a complaint to the ment and closed down in 2001 tions for an East Jerusalem demand. In some areas, there Iraq (KRI), or it could choose to court about a variety of elec- all representative institutions, "shadow" municipal council is an unholy alliance between stay as one of the 15 provinces timately benefit from a new re- the controversial debate on regional gional government in Nineveh, in formation initiatives. tion-related problems in the including the Orient House. could have a large effect to- thugs and former political pris- administered directly by Baghdad. West Bank and Gaza, the court The closure violates Israeli wards putting Jerusalem back oners aligned with the various A third option, touted by Ka- the short-term, all would fear what Michael Knights is the Lafer the changes mean and how they Fellow at the Washington Institute itself highlighted the fact that commitments at the Madrid on the map and more important- Palestinian factions. rim as an interim step, would be East Jerusalem residents were talks in 1991, and a letter of com- ly better organise the city Large families and individ- for Kirkuk to take the legal steps would be implemented. It's argu- for Near East Policy. He specialis- able that Nineveh and Mosul can- es in the politics and security of not scheduled to participate in mitment by then Israeli Foreign which is experiencing high lev- uals from Hebron are also to become a region like the KRI the vote. Minister Shimon Peres in Oc- el of chaos. somehow represented in these for a few years. not afford this kind of uncertainty Iraq. He has worked in every Iraqi in the post-liberation months. province and most of the country's While analysts and pundits tober 1993. In the absence of elected unelected street leaders. So if What would change if Kirkuk have expressed various theo- Even symbolic elections for local government, and after the you are not part of these fami- became a region? A contentious The Baghdad factions might hundred districts, including peri- not react well either: In 2011, the ods embedded with Iraq's security ries as to the reason for the an East Jerusalem ‘shadow’ mu- unexpected death in May 2001 lies or groups you are left to- "final status" decision on Kirkuk's court's decision, it is important nicipal council could have a of Faisal Husseini, the well- tally at their mercy. In addition long-term relationship with Bagh- provinces of Salah al-Din and Diy- forces. The views expressed in this ala began the legal steps needed to article are the author's own and do to focus on the Jerusalem is- large effect towards putting loved leader, the city has been to controlling the streets, these dad or the KRI might be post- sue. Jerusalem back on the map ... totally leaderless, becoming a groups are sometimes involved poned, while in the interim, Kirkuk form their own regions, and the not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's federal government's reaction was editorial policy. A city of 350,000 Palestin- Palestinians also extracted sort of political orphan. The Pal- in land fraud and protect un- would gain some advantages. ians, East Jerusalem is the larg- another important concession estinian government based in desired squatters, leaving the Baghdad would probably not est populated city in Palestine as part of the Oslo Accords, Ramallah has been brutally and home owners totally unprotect- welcome a further loss of control today but it has not held mu- namely that East Jerusalemites forcefully barred from carrying ed. over Kirkuk crude and a general nicipal elections since 1967. Is- can participate in the elections out any activities in East Jerus- While elections in East reduction of its role in Kirkuk. rael has annexed East Jerusa- of the Palestinian Legislative alem. Jerusalem, even through post It would enjoy strengthened lem in a so far unsuccessful at- Council. The Palestinian govern- office absentee polls, could revenue management, potentially tempt to unify the holy city and To avoid addressing the is- ment is not allowed to sponsor help create recognised and le- exporting its own crude as the KRI make it part of the "united cap- sue of sovereignty, the Israelis events - including cultural gitimate local leadership, it will does. Kirkuk could legally form its ital of Israel". allowed Palestinians to vote for events - and any activities held hardly solve the major prob- own Regional Guard Brigades and Inside Story - Why is al- their representatives using under its name are quickly lems of sovereignty, city plan- receive international training and Aqsa Mosque vital to Mus- post offices in East Jerusalem. banned. Events as innocent as ning and development. assistance as the KRI's Peshmerga lims? The idea was that those votes a children's muppet festival But in the absence of a se- does. Palestinians living in East were somehow absentee votes were banned in 2013 by an Is- rious peace process, issues of Kirkuk would gain much more Jerusalem have continuously which would resemble how raeli military order because it daily life become much more administrative control over service boycotted the Israeli-run mu- dual citizens in many parts of was funded by a grant from important to Jerusalemites, provision in its territory. And out- nicipal elections for the unified the world are able to vote while Norway channelled through who have seen their city retract lying parts of Kirkuk, like Arab- city and have therefore had no living in "another country". the Palestinian Ministry of Cul- tremendously in the past 50 populated Hawija, could petition elected leadership or a say in While Palestinians from Jerus- ture in Ramallah. years as a result of occupation, to become a province itself, much what happens to their neigh- alem have therefore voted for Without local government annexation and abandonment. as the KRI contains four subordi- bourhoods and their city. national legislative and execu- elections, and with the Pales- Daoud Kuttab, an award- nate provinces (Erbil, Sulaimania, Oslo Accords tive representatives in Ramal- tinian government barred from winning Palestinian journalist, Dohuk and Halabja). During the talks in Oslo that lah, they have not been able to exercising any activities, the is a former Ferris professor of But many Iraqi factions also led to the Palestinian-Israeli elect the much less political city has slid into disarray. Lo- journalism at Princeton Univer- fear such an outcome. Baghdad memorandum of understand- municipal representatives. cal thugs often rule the city, sity. would probably not welcome a ing, often called the Oslo Ac- Such municipal elections for fighting over neighbourhoods The views expressed in this further loss of control over Kirkuk cords, which was signed at the East Jerusalem will obviously now run by gangs who demand article are the author's own and crude and a general reduction of its White House in 1993, Israel be symbolic. Naturally such protection money from dis- do not necessarily reflect Al role in Kirkuk. agreed to allow existing organ- elections would run contrary to gruntled business people. Jazeera's editorial policy. The Kurdish factions seem to fear that regional formation in LETTER TO THE EDITOR

By Najah Al-Osaimi ment on each female student is es- aspirations of a new generation of ies, and Saudi Arabia has an ambi- Women’s inheritance timated to be between $35,000- women in terms of professional tious vision to go global. One way At a discussion about Saudi Ara- 45,000 a year. Looking at the fig- development and equal opportu- to achive that is to address barri- bia’s Vision 2030 in London recent- ures released by the Ministry of nities found in leadership posi- ers restricting women, by devel- ly, I found myself engaged in a con- Higher Education, which shows tions. oping further policies that assure problem versation with young Saudi female that women represent 26 percent The social restrictions are also gender equality. students. The conversation main- of the number of students study- an issue for Saudi women who have And creating opportunities Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) the other day said that in a bid to reduce violence against ly revolved around how they want- ing abroad, this means that Saudi become used to a certain culture in that allow them to fully contrib- women, the ministry is taking step to register all marriages and provide certificates to the cou- ed to move to Dubai after com- Arabia has spent in excess of $50 the West. If they returned home ute in the national development, ples. Previously, the Ministry for Women’s Affairs said that marriage certificate would help pleting their degrees in the UK. million on women’s overseas edu- they would face a restriction of while also embracing more mod- Surprisingly, it was not the first cation during the last 10 years. movement due to a ban on driving ern social values that are commen- women to have access to inheritance rights, a right that they had been deprived of it for many time this subject had come up dur- as well as barriers to access to jus- surate with a young generations years. Those women who don’t have marriage certificate will be deprived of their right, particu- ing my discussions with young Social and regulatory restric- tice, and family pressure caused intellectual and societal expecta- larly from inheritance or property rights. It is also the responsibility of Ministry of Hajj and Saudi woman. tions by a male guardianship system. It tions. This is the only way to keep Religious Affairs to educate people regarding registration of marriage as the society is conserva- Indeed, the vast majority of There are various reasons be- has left some of the most educat- Saudi Arabia’s arsenal of highly tive. Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs support is the most important thing to lead the Saudi women after graduating from hind why young Saudi women ed, talented and entrepreneurial skilled young women from driving process of marriage registration toward success. universities abroad, find them- think of building a career elsewhere, women with no choice but to move other countries innovation and Afghan women has suffered a lot during three decades of war and isolation in the country. selves facing two choices: either instead of returning to their home- elsewhere away from these limita- economies. The relevant officials should make their last-ditch efforts to at least give women’s fundamental to return home to work and be sub- land. But there is one that stands tions. Najah al-Osaimi is a research- rights of inheritance. ject to social and regulatory limi- out. Although Saudi Arabia has tak- However, investing in girls’ er and journalist specializing in in- tations, or to take the harder choice en the, some might say, liberal step education was a smart move by ternational relations and diploma- Nadia Alizada, Kabul Afghanistan and move elsewhere. It is mostly of educating its women abroad, Saudi Arabia, in order to build a cy, as well as ongoing sociopoliti- Dubai due to its proximity to there have been no accompani- human capital that drives a sus- cal affairs in the Middle East. She Letter to editor will be edited for policy, content and clarity. All letters must home. ments to the initiative in terms of tainable future for economic was among the winners of the “Ev- have the writer’s name and address. You may send your letters to: I find this alarming, given the relaxing social and regulatory re- growth. Nevertheless, continuing ery Human Has Rights” media [email protected] generous investment by Saudi Ara- strictions back at home, much of to provide quality education with- awards, which marked the 60th bia in providing quality education which they enjoy in the West. out enacting any actual reform on anniversary of the Universal Dec- for women in the US and Europe, The consequences to the Sau- the most pressing issues facing laration of Human Rights. Osai- the premise of which is to get them di economy are dire because the women in the country, will result mi’s articles and columns have ap- back home to take advantage of billions spent in educating women in Saudi Arabia losing “the war for peared in The World Today maga- Disclaimer: their new expertise, and in essence, will be another country’s gain. The talents”. Therefore, it will mas- zine (produced by Chatham drive national development. Saudi current situation of women’s rights sively limit the benefits that would House); the Centre on Religion and The views and opinions expressed in the articles are Arabia’s fund for women to study is characterized by a status quo, otherwise come to the country Geopolitics (an initiative of the those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or overseas has become massive over and although there have been some from what is considered a gener- Tony Blair Foundation), the pan- the course of the last decade. forward thinking steps in favour ous and costly project. Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, opinions of the Afghanistan Times. The total average annual sum of women back in Saudi Arabia, Talent can shape the econom- and the Saudi Gazette, among oth- spent by Saudi Arabia’s govern- these are insufficient to meet the ic and social progress of global cit- ers. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

TORONTO: Nigerian filmmakers, audience. We need to be more open producers and actors are hoping a with even our storylines and with spotlight on Lagos at this year's collaborations. Right now, that's Toronto International Film Festi- kind of the focus, which is why val (TIFF) will open Nollywood we're glad we're here," she told Al up to the world. Jazeera at the festival. But equally important, the Tapping into where the cine- filmmakers say, is maintaining the mas are is also important to build originality and fresh storytelling an audience, the actress said. that has made the well-established Despite having a population Nigerian film industry such a na- of more than 180 million people, tional and regional success over the Nigeria lacks cinemas: The film- past two decades. makers and producers at TIFF put "Our stories are original. That's the number of cinemas across Ni- what makes us stand out," said geria at 29, meaning the country Omoni Oboli, the filmmaker, pro- has a total of only about 100 ducer and actress, whose movie screens. Building a global audience Okafor's Law had its world pre- Many in the industry wonder miere at the festival this year. if Nigerian filmmakers should re- "I feel like the audiences are ally be focused on appealing to an bored. Hollywood is churning out international audience, rather than the same thing over and over again making better films to satisfy their … We have fresh stories. It's orig- already expansive fan base. inal," Oboli said at a press confer- According to Niyi Akinmolay- ence in Toronto. "If they're bored, an, director of The Arbitration, it they should look to us - look to is less about seeking validation Nollywood." from the United States or Holly- Oboli's film is among eight wood, and more so wanting "to Nigerian features being screened as make films good enough for any- part of the festival's annual City- one anywhere to watch our mov- to-City programme, which shines ies". a light on filmmaking in cities "And, hopefully, we'll get around the world. In previous some recognition," he said. years, this section has shone a light The Arbitration is largely set on Seoul, London, Athens, Mum- in a meeting room in Lagos, where bai, and Istanbul, among other plac- a woman has accused a Nigerian es. Cameron Bailey, the film festi- IT company's chief executive - her val's artistic director, told Al former lover and boss - of rape. Jazeera that he took "a leap of Though the film is partly a peak faith" when he made the decision into the growing Nigerian hi-tech to focus on Lagos this year, but he industry, its main themes - sexual said he believed the timing was harassment, power dynamics, and right. gender roles - are universal. "In addition to the very com- "I felt this is a perfect oppor- mercial films that have been com- tunity to polarise the audience and ing out of Lagos for many years, make them ask important ques- there's a new generation that has a tions. And in this case, we're de- new Nollywood cinema that is fining sexual harassment, we're working at higher budget levels, defining rape, we're defining the maintaining the distinctive style some will. And I think the ones ally, filmically, poetically. We are ing-of-age story about three soon- and I would get the most ignorant taking more time with their pro- place of a woman in society … I that appeals to people at home is that will, will do well with it." storytellers by nature," Oyelowo to-be university students who set questions about where I came ductions, greater technical quality always feel there's a lot of beauty something that has been witnessed 'Storytellers by nature' said in Toronto, where he is pro- out to make a film and in the pro- from," Makama says. "I said, 'I and also just greater artistic ambi- and truth when you get people to in the film industries of South David Oyelowo, the Nigerian- moting his latest film, Queen of cess learn who they are personal- need to go back home, and I'm go- tion," Bailey said. ask questions," Akinmolayan said. Korea, China, India and even British actor who has starred in Katwe. And it is those stories - ly and within the mosaic of Nige- ing to show them where I'm from, Al Jazeera World - Nollywood Toronto International Film France in recent years. Hollywood films Selma and Five uniquely Nigerian, but open to the rian cultures. what I'm doing, what I'm all about.'" "We're beginning to see new Festival awards ceremony at the "I think Nigeria can do both," Nights in Maine, said the TIFF world - that will propel Nollywood Bailey described the film as "It's my own way to say how kinds of films come out that I think Bell Lightbox in Toronto, Canada Bailey said. "Not everybody work- spotlight "is the start of something forward into its third decade, says reminiscent of an early Spike Lee much I love film, but I also wanted can work very well on the festival [J Countess/Getty Images] ing in Nollywood is going to want, absolutely fantastic" for Nigerian young Nigerian director Abba Joint, or even of American direc- to give the western audience a crash circuit and in the rest of the film According to film festival's ar- for instance, to try to set up a co- talent. Makama. tor Richard Linklater's work. course on what it means to be Ni- industry, so that's why I wanted tistic director, Bailey, a desire to production with an American com- "We've been doing this for a Makama was in Toronto to "The whole idea came about gerian. There isn't one archetype. to do it now." reach global audiences while also pany or a European company, but long time - telling stories tradition- screen Green White Green, a com- when I was studying in New York, There are facets. There are layers." The eight Nigerian films at the festival explore an array of sto- rylines and genres, from the come- dic capers of a Lagos cabbie in Daniel Emeke Oriahi's Oko Ash- ewo (Taxi Driver), to a drama about Lagos' successful battle against an outbreak of Ebola in 93 AMMAN: Every day since Khal- Sudanese refugees tell a different isn't," Khater said. "We go to or- their doors to refugees, provide percent of all registered refugees. threats would make an immense Days, directed by Steve Gukas. da Khater, 25, and her family fled story. Many believe their resettle- ganisations. They tell us: 'For Syr- access to education for every refu- Stromberg, of the UNHCR difference," Fisher said. In 76, Izu Ojukwu looks at the Sudan's war-torn Darfur region ment cases are being processed ians only'. They pick and choose gee child, and to increase the level office in Jordan, said this was pro- "I think it's definitely high-time impact of a failed coup attempt in five years ago, she has been wait- more slowly than other groups of who to give money to." of humanitarian assistance to ref- portionately a much higher reset- for further discussion about this Nigeria in 1976, while director ing to leave Jordan. refugees. Many also complain that The greatest issue for ugees. But again, it offers no guar- tlement number than the number group and what we as an interna- Uduak-Obong Patrick has made a "We ran from war, but I would they are not receiving the same Sudanese refugees is maintaining a antees. Displacement continues to of Syrians who are being resettled. tional community will do to give youthful crime-comedy with a rather die than live here like this," amount of monthly cash aid. livelihood in Jordan, says Coggle affect Sudan's Darfur The Interna- "If you look at the absolute num- them a long-term solution," she Lagos backdrop in Just Not Mar- Khater said as she held up her ref- Paul Stromberg, the UNHCR's [Muhammad Hamed/Reuters] tional Organisation for Migration, bers, it looks like many more Syr- told Al Jazeera. ried. ugee certificate issued by the UN deputy representative in Jordan, At the UN summit, member which will be present at the sum- ians are being moved," he explained. At an August 2016 press con- The Wedding Party, mean- High Commission for Refugees, says the organisation decides the states are expected to adopt a 22- mit's opening session, said it will "But it's something that's hard to ference, Karen Abu-Zayed, special while, invites audiences in to ex- the UNHCR. amount of aid allocated to refugees page "outcome document", also work to ensure world leaders and say when people are frustrated, to adviser on the Summit for Refu- perience the joy and traditions of "Just send me anywhere else based on home visits. known as the New York Declara- organisations address issues fac- say you are better off in percent- gees and Migrants, said she hoped a Nigerian wedding - complete with but here." Khater and her family "After each assessment, UN- tion. The document lists commit- ing all migrants and refugees. age terms, but it is a fact." everyone at the summit would all the drama and complications are among roughly 3,000 UNH- HCR employees measure each ments that countries can agree on "We're not entrusted to one par- According to Betsy Fisher, embrace the New York Declaration that may arise. CR-registered Sudanese refugees in family or individual situation as a whole to assist refugees. The ticular large movement, or one par- policy director at the Internation- "to ensure that no refugee and no "What makes a Nigerian wed- Jordan, a majority of whom are against the general norm and then, New York Declaration holds prom- ticular set of migrants or refugees. al Refugee Assistance Project, al- migrant is left behind". ding party so different? You have from Darfur region. A recent Hu- based on the resources available, ise for an improvement in condi- We're going to stand up and speak lowing more spots for Sudanese Meanwhile, as Khater watched to experience it first hand to be man Rights Watch report found decides whether to provide assis- tions in host countries but with- for all of them, including those resettlement would be crucial to her children play outside their able to understand it. It's nothing that violence in the benighted re- tance, and if so, how much," Strom- out any guarantees. smaller groups," said Olivia Head- improving the lives of the refugees. small apartment in a working-class like you've ever seen before: the gion is at its highest point since berg told Al Jazeera. For instance, it calls on host on, associate migration officer at The United States is the only neighbourhood in East Amman, colours, the attire, the people … 2004. Khater, who has two young governments to open their labour the IOM office of the permanent country that accepts Sudanese ref- she, too, hoped something might It's a remarkable experience," said In December 2015, the Jorda- children, said a UNHCR represen- markets to refugees, it does not, observer to the UN. UNCHR Jor- ugees from the Middle East as part be done to improve her family's director Kemi Adetiba about the nian government deported nearly tative visited her home twice; once however, specify the conditions of dan says it has submitted 57 re- of its standard refugee resettlement life in the country. film, her first feature. 600 Sudanese refugees after they in May 2015 and a second time in work or require any host govern- settlement cases for Sudanese ref- programme,"so having options in "We're tired," she said. "We just "The stories I think will reso- protested against their living con- May 2016. Khater's family was ments to issue work permits to ugees since the beginning of 2016, other places that would be willing want to be somewhere else, some- nate with all audiences," Bailey ditions outside the UNHCR head- rejected as a candidate for month- refugees. The declaration also en- and the goal is to resettle 157 to resettle when there are really where where we are respected as said, "but what you get to learn quarters. A government spokes- ly cash assistance, she said. courages more countries to open Sudanese refugees this year, or 7 urgent vulnerabilities or protection humans." about, is how the storytellers man said at the time that the The UNHCR representative shape their films in a very distinct Sudanese refugees were deported informed them of the rejection on way." because they entered the country the phone when Khater's husband $3.3bn industry with fake medical visas. called one week after the second The Nigerian film industry is Human Rights Watch, howev- visit. They were not given a rea- second only to India's Bollywood er, said that the majority of pro- son for the rejection, she added. in terms of the number of films testers were registered refugees. Mohammad Abayad, 31, is produced, which is estimated at As the United Nations Gener- another Sudanese refugee from around 200 a month, according to al Assembly is expected to host Darfur. He says the organisation an entertainment and media report its first Summit on Refugees and has visited his home once and has by PricewaterhouseCoopers for Migrants on Monday to address allotted him only one payment of 2014-2018 (PDF). the large-scale movement of peo- $100 in the nearly three years he In 2014, the Nigerian govern- ple all over the world, Sudanese has lived in Jordan. ment estimated that Nollywood refugees in Jordan - a co-host of Abayad earns money by trans- was a $3.3bn industry, with 1,844 the summit - say the UNHCR has porting stone on construction sites movies produced in 2013, Fortune ignored them for too long in the in Amman, but he - like most refu- magazine reported. The industry country, where they face racial dis- gees in the country - cannot work brings in $600m to the Nigerian crimination. legally. Their UNHCR refugee cer- economy annually, according to Sometimes there's food, some- tificates do not give them the right 2014 figures put out by the US times there isn't. We go to organi- to work in the country. International Trade Commission. sations. They tell us:'For Syrians Work permission is only giv- To date, Nigerian films have only'. They pick and choose who en by the Jordanian authorities. been cheap to produce and shoots to give money to. Khalda Khatar, Sudanese refugees are an easy generally last less than a month. 25, Sudanese refugee target for labour inspectors because "This enables a quick financial turn- According to Ninitte Kelley, of their skin colour. Abayad says around: A movie can be profitable the director of UNHCR's liaison that he had to run from the police within two to three weeks of re- office in New York, although the on several occasions to avoid ar- lease," the PwC report stated. summit is dedicated to large move- rest. Khater said she had to remove But most Nigerian films are ments of refugees, discussions will her eight-year-old son from school watched on DVD and pirating is also address small concentrations for a year because he was repeat- widespread: Nine pirated copies of refugees who are part of larger edly bullied. Other refugees say of a film are sold for every legiti- movements, such as Sudanese ref- they have been victims of racially mate one, according to the World ugees in Jordan. She added that motivated attacks, have been Bank (PDF). UNHCR gives the Sudanese [ref- called names or have had vegeta- According to Nigerian actress ugees] parity with other refugee bles thrown at them in the street. Genevieve Nnaji, who starred in groups. Adam Coggle, a Human Rights 2013's Half of a Yellow Sun, the "UNHCR addresses the needs Watch researcher based in Amman, higher production values of recent of refugees regardless of how nu- said most Sudanese refugees have Nigerian films demonstrate that merous they are in a host coun- to band together and pay rent be- Nollywood is ready for greater in- try," Kelley said. "Sudanese refu- cause of the lack of humanitarian ternational collaborations. gees in Jordan in need of interna- assistance available to them. Actress Ljeoma Grace Agu and tional protection are persons of He added that the greatest is- director Daniel Emeke Oriahi of the UNHCR's concern and are entitled sue facing Sudanese refugees is film'Oko Ashewo' at the TIFF in to and receive equal treatment by maintaining a livelihood in Jordan. Toronto, Canada [J Countess/Get- the Office," she told Al Jazeera. Khater agrees. "Sometimes ty Images] "We need to invite more But on the ground in Jordan, there's food, sometimes there TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES Pushing for industrial development KARACHI: Industrial develop- ment is driven by knowledge cre- ation and enhancement of innova- tive capabilities within an econo- my. Investments in innovation must accompany investments in physical capital to improve com- petitiveness. Although several de- Oil prices rose on Monday from 15 percent in August from a month veloping countries may rely on multi-week lows after Venezuela ago to more than 2 million barrels the import of foreign machinery said OPEC and non-OPEC pro- per day, according to a source with and technology to manufacture ducers were close to a deal to sta- knowledge of its tanker loading their output, as is generally the bilize the market and as clashes in schedule, closing in on shipment case in Pakistan, local innovative Libya disrupted attempts to boost levels seen five years ago before capabilities still play an important crude exports. Western sanctions. role to determine the most efficient Brent crude futures were at Last week, Brent hit a two- mix of resources for production. $46.32 per barrel at 1043 GMT, week low and U.S. crude fell to a Innovation and knowledge creation up 55 cents from their previous five-week low on concerns about is essential for economic growth. settlement and off an earlier peak oversupply with more deliveries Even if the scourge of intellectual of 46.62. U.S. crude was up 61 from Libya and Nigeria. property theft and counterfeiting cents, or 1.4 percent, at $43.64 a On Monday, prices were also of goods is lessened, innovation barrel. supported by a weaker dollar and and knowledge creation requires Venezuelan President Nicolas as the expected boost to Libyan regular exchange of information Maduro has said a deal could be exports was delayed. and collaboration between research announced this month to stabilize Clashes in Libya have halted centres, universities and industries. oil markets, which have come un- the loading of the first oil cargo ‘CPEC has set foundation for in- der pressure due to persistent over- from the port of Ras Lanuf in close dustrial cooperation’ East Asian supply. to two years and raised fears of a economies invested heavily in hu- "We think there is a great win- new conflict over Libya's oil re- man capital, research and develop- dow of opportunity for a freeze sources. Venezuela says OPEC, ment (R&D) and in institutions to here," Natixis analyst Deshpande non-OPEC oil stabilizing deal close create a business environment con- Abhishek said. "It will not just Hedge funds turn strongly bullish ducive for growth. Today, a large help balance the markets, but it is on U.S. natural gas: Kemp percentage of global industrial pro- also a win-win for OPEC and Rus- However, concerns about ris- duction takes place in East Asia. sia, as Iran is unlikely to add extra ing supplies remain a bugbear. A China, Japan and Republic of Ko- production anyway for the next preliminary Angolan November rea lead the way in industrial de- 6-12 months." loading plan showed supplies were velopment. Innovation and knowl- Crude exports from OPEC's set to bounce back from a 10-year edge creation has been a contribut- third biggest producer Iran jumped low. ing factor to their industrial devel- opment. Their level of innovation can be gauged by the number of patent applications filed by resi- dents, scientific and technical jour- nal articles published, percentage of GDP spent on R&D and the number of researchers per million people. According to the World Bank’s World Development Indi- cators, the three countries have one European Union antitrust regula- - but a single company cannot have nies, something the EU denies. A deductible expenses, it said. of the highest numbers of patent tors opened a probe on Monday the best of two worlds for one and Commission spokesman said it The lender companies - LNG applications filed by residents in into tax deals granted by Luxem- the same transaction," Margrethe was a coincidence the investigation Luxembourg and Electrabel Invest 2014 and contribute to approxi- bourg to French power utility En- Vestager, EU Competition Com- into Engie, a French company, was Luxembourg - avoided paying any mately 25% of the scientific and gie, stepping up the EU's campaign missioner, said in a statement. opened the same week. The finan- tax on the profits from the trans- technical articles published global- against tax avoidance by multina- A spokeswoman for Engie said cial transactions are loans granted action because Luxembourg tax ly. Japan and the Republic of Ko- tionals. the company took note of the de- in 2009 and 2011 between four rules exempt income from equity rea report one of the highest ex- The European Commission cision and would cooperate fully companies in the GDF Suez group investments from taxation, the Nesma Airlines expects to launch fore scaling up with 16 Bombar- penditures on R&D as a percent- said it had concerns the tax rulings with the Commission to answer that can be converted into equity Commission said. domestic flights in Saudi Arabia dier CSeries CS300s. age of GDP, while China has made granted by Luxembourg since 2008 its questions. and bear zero interest for the lend- A Commission spokesman this November, becoming the coun- Al Maha Airways, a subsid- large strides in increasing the im- appeared to treat the same finan- Engie has been present in Lux- er. "The final result seems to be said it was too early to say how try’s third or fourth operator along- iary of Qatar Airways, was also portance of R&D in the previous cial transaction as both debt and embourg since 1933 and currently that a significant proportion of the much tax Engie may have to pay if side fellow start-up SaudiGulf Air- designated an approved operator decade. As researchers innovate equity, leading to double non-tax- employs about 300 people, she profits recorded by GDF Suez in it is found to have breached state lines and incumbents Saudia and in 2012, but has failed to match new knowledge, products and ation of companies in the GDF said. Only last month Vestager Luxembourg through the two ar- aid rules. Flynas. SaudiGulf’s progress. Chief exec- processes, innovation has a direct Suez group, as Engie was former- made headlines by ordering Apple rangements are not taxed at all," The EU has already launched The Saudi-owned, Egypt- utive officer Mike Szücs and chief impact on the sustainability of in- ly known. to pay Ireland up to 13 billion eu- the Commission said. investigations into tax deals grant- based airline presently operates operating officer Mark Breen no dustrial output. There are impor- That may have given GDF ros ($14.5 billion) in unpaid taxes, The borrower companies - ed by Luxembourg to other multi- flights between the two countries longer work for the company, tant lessons to be learnt from the Suez an unfair advantage over oth- angering both Washington and GDF Suez Treasury Management nationals such as McDonald's and with three Airbus A320s and one which has neither received its AOC East Asian economies on the con- er companies in breach of EU state Dublin. Vestager will meet with and GDF Suez LNG Supply - Amazon. A319. Its domestic Saudi opera- nor announced concrete plans for tribution of innovation and knowl- aid rules, the Commission said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew were able to significantly reduce In December last year the tion will connect the northern city a launch. edge creation to industrial devel- "Financial transactions can be in a trip to the United States this their taxable profits in Luxembourg Commission ordered carmaker Fiat of Ha’il with 12 points around the Asked how Nesma managed opment. Although Pakistan is at taxed differently depending on the week, where she has been criticized by deducting the provisioned in- to pay back up to 30 million euros kingdom, utilising a pair of ATR to secure its operating licence so an earlier stage of industrial devel- type of transaction, equity or debt for allegedly targeted U.S. compa- terest payments, which are tax to Luxembourg. 72-600 turboprops. The initial quickly despite not being involved opment in comparison to the East routes flown by the 68-seaters will in the 2012 bidding process, Lam- Asian economies and knowledge- be Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. loum says the airline’s focus on intensive industries are not as “We will build our business poorly-connected regional markets prominent, the level of innovation model at Ha’il in two directions – won the approval of Saudi regula- in Pakistan is still rather dismal. first one, direct flights to Ha’il; and tors. Initiatives to promote innovation the other one, feeder flights,” man- “Ha’il is an area that is under- However, the government has in- aging director Ashraf Lamloum served and in need of immediate troduced several initiatives to pro- tells Al Arabiya English, confirm- action to cover its demand and re- mote innovation. It has recently ing that the airline received its Air quirements,” he explains, noting announced over 10,000 PhD schol- Operator’s Certificate (AOC) in that the city is only served by four arships to the United States. Paki- August. “We are trying to use Ha’il other carriers: Saudia, Flynas, Air stan Vision 2025 by the Planning as a hub by feeding some passen- Arabia and Flydubai. Commission acknowledges the gers to other destinations.” Nesma already flies to Ha’il development of a knowledge econ- Domestic air travel in the king- from its Cairo hub – one of nine omy as a priority area. In order for dom is currently dominated by routes to the kingdom operated such initiatives to be successful, it flag-carrier Saudia – which oper- under the airline’s Egyptian AOC. is important that linkages between ates 75 per cent of internal flights Lamloum also credits his op- industries and academia are pro- – and privately-owned Flynas. erational team with “having every- moted through research collabora- The General Authority of Civil thing in its right place” before at- tions in Pakistan to foster innova- Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia’s tempting to obtain regulatory ap- tion and knowledge creation. Con- aviation regulator, granted econom- proval. GACA repeatedly blamed struction of industrial free zone in ic licences to two start-ups in De- the delays with SaudiGulf and Al Gwadar begins The Global Inno- cember 2012 in order to break the Maha on unspecified regulatory vation Index (GII) developed by duopoly, but nearly four years on compliance issues. Cornell University, INSEAD and neither carrier has launched servic- Ha’il regional hub the World Intellectual Property es. Stalled liberalisation Following the launch of its ini- Organization (WIPO) is a tool to SaudiGulf, owned by Abdel tial three routes – each of which is analyse the quality of innovation Hadi Al-Qahtani & Sons Group, already served by incumbent Sau- through creation of knowledge, is in pole position following the di operators – Nesma will branch technology and creative outputs granting of its AOC in June. The out into nine brand new markets within a country. This index pro- airline plans to begin services with for Ha’il: Al Jawf, Arar, Gassim, vides useful information on the four A320s from its base in Dam- Madinah, Qaisumah, Qurayyat, innovative capabilities within an mam, initially serving Riyadh and Rafha, Tabuk and Turaif. Its ex- economy and considers measures Jeddah. It will later enter the Jed- pansion will be propelled by the beyond the more traditional meth- dah-Riyadh trunk route and add arrival of another two ATR 72- ods commonly used to measure international flights to Dubai, be- 600s later this year. innovation. China COSCOsees better 2017 as Hanjin collapse pushes up rates Amid the unraveling of South Ko- Reuters data, but it is also one of Sun said he did not expect rea's Hanjin Shipping, shippers are China's largest state-owned firms, Hanjin's collapse to impact looking for more robust alterna- employing 330,000 people. Sun COSCO's own plans for a new al- tives, and freight rates are rising - said its finances are improving. liance with France's CMA CGM all potentially good news for ri- Last month, COSCO posted a [CMACG.UL], Taiwan's Ever- vals such as China COSCO Ship- first-half loss of 7.2 billion yuan green Line and Hong Kong-based ping Corp. ($1.08 billion), which it blamed Orient Overseas Container Line, Sun Jiakang, executive vice mainly on the sale of its bulk ship- which is due to start in April. president of China's biggest ship- ping business and a dearth of gov- "A lot of work goes into con- ping company, told Reuters on ernment subsidies. structing a new alliance. It requires Monday that rates had risen in the "Our fourth quarter will be about a year of preparation," he last month - a boost that should better than our first or second quar- said. "So these dates won't be ad- lift the state firm's fourth quarter ters, and because of obvious chang- justed, they won't change because and continue into next year. es in the industry, I think next year of Hanjin, the alliance won't make "Shippers are now more keen will be better than this year," Sun any adjustments." to choose shipping companies said. He warned that without an The U.S. Federal Maritime with good credit that can provide improvement in global trade and Commission was still analyzing the stable services, and they may shun the economy, other smaller rivals planned new alliance, and COSCO companies with poor credit. In this could go the same way as Hanjin. was confident it met anti-monop- respect, our group is one of the The collapse of Hanjin has also oly requirements, Sun added. beneficiaries," he said. thrown the current container ship- COSCO, with interests rang- Hanjin, the world's seventh- ping alliance network into upheav- ing from ports to oil tankers, plans largest container line, filed for re- al. The Korean shipper and its ri- to complete its merger with former ceivership last month, leaving more vals had formed teams in recent rival China Shipping Group by the than 100 ships and their cargo at years to share vessels and routes end of this year, with its logistics sea. Formed through the merger of to cope with a prolonged slump in and social services businesses China's two largest shipping com- freight rates. Now, Hanjin's part- among units still to be reorganized, panies in February, COSCO Ship- ners are scrambling to fill the gaps. Sun said. ping owns the world's fourth-larg- Hanjin's membership of the Continued shifts in the global est container shipping fleet by ca- CKYHE alliance, which COSCO shipping market also continue to pacity, run by its flagship listed is also part of, was suspended on provide opportunities for poten- unit, China COSCO Holdings. Sept. 2. It had been due to join a tial acquisitions, he said, citing COSCO itself is among the new alliance with German contain- COSCO's deal last month to buy a most indebted of the global ship- er shipping line Hapag-Lloyd and majority stake in Piraeus, Greece's ping firms, according to Thomson four other firms next year. largest port. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

If you think there were fireworks between Aish- warya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma on the set of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', then you're mistaken. In fact, the two gorgeous and tal- ented actresses got along like a house on fire. Al- though they only had a day's work together, they were inseparable from the time they met. According to an eyewitness, they couldn't stop talking to each other in between shots. Apart from their mutu- al admiration, Anushka and Aishwarya also com- The red carpet of TV’s greatest night rolled out at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater on Sunday. plemented each other in Stars such as Kristen Bell and Priyanka Chopra turned heads in their stunning gowns, Sofia Vergara and Emilia their scenes together, Clarke had set the temperature soaring in sleek dresses. But it was five-year-old Jeremy Maguire who stole the which we're told are quite show.Here are the seven looks that were red carpet winnerS. intense, making them high points of the film that has largely been shot in Lon- don. "Anushka was touched when Aishwarya compli- mented her for her looks and the way she carries her self," says a source from the set. It seems get- ting along with each other wasn't all that mushkil for these pretty women.Considering that the romantic drama's teas- er and the title track have become a talking point, this piece of news only in- creases the curiosity of viewers. Harshvardhan and Saiyami enchant in this new poster of Mirzya!

Jeremy MaguireThe five-year-old Modern Family child star gave a tough competition to male stars as he looked dapper in a three-piece black suit with a snappy red bow tie.Above all his cute red cape was a proof that he was a style saviour. Kristen Bell Kristen channeled her inner elegance in a Zuhair Divya Khosla Kumar's directorial Sonam Kapoor's Neerja & Akshay Murad floral-printed venture, Sanam Re released on the Kumar's Airlift. Inspite of clock- gown. 14th of February 2016, clashing ing in numbers at the Box Office, with Katrina Kaif's Fitoor. After these films have failed to make clocking in higher numbers and mark in TV ratings & Divya Kho- more theatre screens than Fitoor, sla Kumar's Sanam Re stands at Sanam Re has now surpassed the number 4. Clearly the below data likes of Ranveer Singh-Deepika brings out the role music, locations Pdukone starrer Bajirao Mastani & direction plays in not just the & Shah Rukh Khan's Fan in terms opening of a film but also in the of TRP ratings. television viewing numbers that With soulful music, pictur- finally impact the satellite pricing esque locations & sizzling chem- and thus the profitability for the istry between Pulkit Samrat & producer. Yami Gautam, it was backed by The recently released compar- outstanding direction by Divya ative data by BARC (that com- The new poster of Mirzya is out Khosla Kumar herself, thus sum- pares the no. of television sets that and like the earlier one it's full of ming upto a Box Office winner. have viewed the respective films colors and buoyancy. 2016 has seen several block- on their premieres) are listed be- We can easily deduce that buster films like SLB's Bajirao low. 1. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - Mirzya is a celebration of love just Mastani, Shahrukh Khan's Fan, 25119000 by looking at the poster, where we can see Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher in two different av- atars. Harshvardhan Kapoor looks vivacious and Saiyami is sizzles in the poster and both of them make a perfect couple. Their romantic intensity is fur- ther exhibited in the new poster. The poster personifies the crux of the film which is 'Dare to Love'. The visually appealing diverse looks donned by Harshvardhan and Saiyami in the poster make for an enticing content. The trailer of the movie which released recently garnered a lot of love from the audiences and BTown. All the songs of the movie have resonated very well with the listeners who are awaiting the films release. The movie is an epic action- romantic set in the contemporary time. It is inspired by the folk tale Emilia Clarke of the legend of Mirza - Sahiban. The Game of Thrones star Cinestaan Film Company and looks sophisticated yet chic ROMP Pictures present Mirzya, in a sparkling Atelier Versace directed by Rakeysh Omprakash strapless blush pink Mehra, the film is set to release on chainmail gown. October 7th, 2016. TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 AFGHANISTANTIMES

Dele Alli has signed a new deal at Tottenham that will keep him at the club until 2022. The 20-year-old England mid- fielder follows a number of play- ers to commit their future to Spurs in recent weeks, with Christian Although Rosberg also held the is reasonable to assume, their final Eriksen, Eric Dier, Harry Winks lead of the title race this time two choice for 2017 boils down to a and Tom Carroll already signed, years ago, the difference then was choice between Magnussen and while Danny Rose, Jan Vertongh- that cracks had already started to Jolyon Palmer. Only something en and Erik Lamela are all also re- appear - remember those lock-ups extraordinary in the final third of portedly in talks over new deals. at Monza? - and it was his team- 2016 can save the Englishman now. Alli made an instant impact at mate who had form and momen- Daniel Ricciardo White Hart Lane last season hav- tum on his side. Three months ago, Red Bull ing joined in a £5m deal from MK But with six races to go in boss Christian Horner gave a one- Dons, scoring 10 goals from mid- 2016, it's Rosberg who has the word answer when asked to pre- field and striking up an effective upper hand on all counts. He is dict the Drivers' World Champi- partnership with Harry Kane as also changing for the better. "Nico onship in 2017: "Ricciardo". Mauricio Pochettino's side fin- is driving on a different level to Watch a re-run of the Singapore ished third in the Premier League. what he has done before," conclud- GP and there's why. His form won him the PFA ed Sky F1's Damon Hill on Sun- Sebastian Vettel Young Player of the Year award day night. "I've known Nico since A winner and a loser in Sin- and earned him an England call, 2013 and that is the best Nico gapore. His best chance of win- scoring on his full international Rosberg I have ever seen through- ning a race in 2016 has come and debut in a 2-0 win over France last out the weekend since then," con- gone but the Ferrari driver's surge November before featuring in the curred Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. from last to fifth was his race of disappointing Euro 2016 cam- After winning the Singapore the year. paign. "I'm happy to be here and GP and taking an eight-point lead Daniil Kvyat playing at Tottenham," he told the in the Drivers' Championship, In the points for only the third club website. "Personally, I can't Nico Rosberg dismissed talk of time since departing Red Bull for a think of anywhere better, with the winning the title demotion at Toro Rosso and as it's fans, the manager we've got here This was Rosberg's 200th been so long since we've seen him and the young team - it's a great grand prix. Opinions about his cal- smile perhaps now is not the time place to be. ibre and status have inevitably be- to mention he was out-qualified by Oops! Remember you need to quickly, starting at Tottenham, playing for England… it's been a crazy year for me and there are so many people I have to thank. come entrenched during that time. three tenths by Carlos Sainz. log in using your Sky iD to watch "I'm happy to be at this club and I can't thank the manager and all the staff enough for everything they've done for me, and the fans, they've been But it was possible over the week- Losers Premier League video Tottenham right behind me since I signed. Hopefully there are a lot of good times to come. end to detect a shift in attitude to- Lewis Hamilton 1-0 Sunderland "It's happened so "The hard work isn't going to stop here. I have to keep working hard and keep fighting for my place in this team." wards the German: a softening of In the season which can't make the familiar incredulity to the no- up its mind on the title race, it's tion he is truly part of the elite Hamilton who has all the thinking towards a mellowing acceptance he to do with six races to go. The Jonny Brownlee deserves this opportunity and he world champion, 19 points ahead really can win the title - and not a month ago, has no reason to pan- just win it, but win it on merit too. ic - eight points in the context of misses out on World Hamilton: Rosberg deserved 150 remaining on the table is a tri- Singapore win This, after all, was fle - but the manner of his defeat Rosberg's third win in succession this weekend in Singapore ought Triathlon Series title as he turned around a 19-point to give him pause for thought. He summer deficit into an eight-point may not enjoy the memory. Hamil- lead over Lewis Hamilton. But it ton's weekend was littered with after late drama was not so much his win on Sun- mistakes. He was off the track in Jonny Brownlee was denied a sec- tre of the 10km run but then the day which will have quelled the practice. He was off the track in ond world title despite being heat began to take its toll and he scepticism but his blistering lap in qualifying. He was off the track in helped over the line by his brother started to weave across the course. qualifying on Saturday which de- race. While his team-mate deliv- Alistair in a dramatic end to the South African Henri Schoe- feated Hamilton, the recognised ered a career high, Hamilton World Triathlon Series. man, who won bronze behind the fastest driver in F1, by over half a slumped to an ugly low which was Great Britain's reign as Davis Cup Mayer found his range during the Argentina will now face Croat- second. at once both unnerving and oddly Jonny went into the final race Brownlees in Rio, overtook Jon- champions came to an end at the second set, winning 10 of 13 ia in the final in late November. of the season in Cozumel, Mexico ny to win the race. Never before had Rosberg in- familiar. hands of Argentina, who battled games, as the tie began to turn at Croatia, who beat France 3-2 flicted such a heavy defeat on his The peaks are far greater in in second place in the standings Jonny stopped at the side of past their hosts to claim a hard- Emirates Hall. in Zadar, were champions in 2005 behind Spaniard Mario Mola, with the road but Alistair, who had been team-mate in qualifying. Never scale and quantity to the troughs, fought 3-2 victory in Glasgow. Dan Evans lost to Leonardo while Argentina have already con- before has Rosberg looked as good but Hamilton has weekends like Olympic champion Alistair out of running comfortably in third, put Although Andy Murray Mayer in the final rubber tested four finals but have never contention having missed earlier his arm around his brother and all as he did this weekend. Never be- this. Always has and probably al- opened proceedings on Sunday Evans, 26, never gave up and, lifted the trophy. fore has his time seemed like now. ways will. He was all over the place races. Jonny needed to win the race but carried him along the final few with a straight sets victory over during the fourth set, saved three A packed Emirates Hall in and Mola finish no higher than hundred metres and then pushed Nearly there again: the Silver Ar- in Baku three months ago. In his Guido Pella, to level the tie at 2-2, break points in the opening game, Glasgow enjoyed Murray's win rows will be crowned Construc- final year at McLaren he was ab- fourth, and that was exactly what him across the line. Dan Evans was unable to clinch a which lasted for 22 points. over Pella to level matters at 2-2 looked set to happen after the By finishing second with Mola tors' champions for a third succes- solutely thumped by Jenson But- famous triumph, losing in two But Mayer always appeared A packed Emirates Hall in sive year if they aren't outscored ton in Belgium. Even Heikki Kov- brothers had again pushed the pace in fifth, it was the Spaniard who hours, 46 minutes to Leonardo to hold the upper hand, breaking Glasgow enjoyed Murray's win hard on the swim and bike legs. took the title by just four points. by Red Bull by eight points in alainen once out-qualified him by Mayer. After Murray had beaten Evans in game five before serving over Pella to level matters at 2-2 Malaysia and by 23 by Ferrari. over half a second. Jonny was leading comfort- Alistair suffered similar drama Pella 6-3 6-2 6-3, without once out to love for the win. "It never feels good losing, of ably heading into the final kilome- in Hyde Park in 2010, and said: Start ordering the champagne then. After suffering with brake having to face a break point, Evans His booming serve proved cru- course it doesn't, but no regrets," Fernando Alonso problems in Singapore, Lewis "It's an awful position to be in. If was beaten 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 by the cial, as he sent down 15 aces to GB captain Leon Smith told the he'd conked out before the finish The fire and talent still burns Hamilton said it was a trying week- one-time world No 21. Evans, the three from Evans, who could only BBC. "We just asked the guys to bright with nuclear intensity. By end, but he did everything he could line and there wasn't medical sup- world No 53 who had replaced break once during the entire match. go out and fight their hardest, the port it could have been really dan- the standards of a world champi- to finish third Kyle Edmond for Sunday's con- Although Evans won the open- Argentinians over the course of the on, seventh was a modest finish in Does he get distracted? Does gerous. "It was a natural human cluding singles, made a strong start ing set against Mayer, the Argen- weekend just played that little bit reaction to my brother but for any- Singapore, but it was as much as he lose concentration? Are the lows by taking the opening set in 43 tine's serve proved to be his great- better and got the wins that were any driver could have achieved. the cheap price that have to be one I would have done the same minutes. However, the 29-year-old est weapon needed." thing." Their cause was aided and abet- paid for the capacity to reach such Not that Alistair was all sym- ted by the first-lap demise of Car- awesome highs? Whatever the ex- pathy, with the two-time Olym- los Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg, the planation, Hamilton can ill-afford pic champion adding: "I wish the two likeliest opponents in the bat- a repeat this year. flipping idiot had just paced it right tle for seventh, but after targeting "If that's the worst weekend and won the race. He could have being the best of the rest behind of the year," Hamilton mused on jogged the last 2km." the two Mercedes, two Ferrari and Sunday night, "I'll definitely take Jonny Brownlee appeared in two Red Bulls in Singapore that's it." Fair point, but it was an as- good spirits after receiving treat- exactly where McLaren ended up sessment which under-estimated ment, tweeting from his hospital at the chequered flag - due, in the the relentless consistency of his bed. main, to a driver whose talent is opponent. Rosberg's game plan Alongside a video of the dra- equal to any other in the field. this year can be succinctly distilled matic end to the race, he wrote: Ted Kravitz gives his thoughts as waiting for Hamilton to make a "Normally when you have had too on the Singapore Grand Prix after mistake and capatilsing whenever much to drink. This time it was Nico Rosberg secured his third win he does. If so, it's working. Max the opposite #ouch." since the summer break Verstappen Had the season start- He posted a picture of himself Ted Kravitz gives his thoughts ed when he moved to Red Bull in giving a thumbs-up sign as he lay on the Singapore Grand Prix after the middle of May, Verstappen in hospital and a picture of his run- Nico Rosberg secured his third win would currently be trailing Riccia- ners-up trophy, also paying trib- since the summer break rdo 143-116 in points. ute to his brother by saying: "Not Kevin Magnussen Ferrari's strategists how I wanted to end the season, The most important tenth Strategy is an easy game to but gave it everything. Thanks place of the year so far? It only play with the 20-20 vision of hind- @AliBrownleetri, your loyalty is garnered a single point but it's a sight but even at the very instant incredible." result which may be sufficient to Ferrari, responding to Mercedes He added: "Well done @mari- keep Magnussen's seat at Renault switching Hamilton to 'Plan B', omola and @H--Schoeman. Also in 2017. At the very least, it all- called in Raikkonen on lap 46, it thanks to the @worldtriathlon and but ends the debate about which felt like a mistake. And so it proved: @BritTri medical care. I couldn't of their current drivers Renault the trap had been set and Ferrari have been in better hands." should keep for next season if, as fell straight into it. Kell Brook 'would love' to face Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez Kell Brook is enthusiastic over the nium plate in the eye but they're him [Dominic] in round two that possibility of challenging world looking at other materials. They're my eye was broken and that I champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at not rushing it but it looks like this couldn't see so he was aware of super-welterweight when he re- Friday. I'm more scared of getting what was going on in the fight. turns from injury. put to sleep than I was of getting Anthony Crolla and Jorge Brook remains a world cham- in with Golovkin! Linares meet on Saturday, live on pion at welterweight but, having "They said it'd be a good few Sky Sports "He's seen that I been stopped in the fifth round by months before I can start sparring couldn't see the shots and that I WBA Super, WBC and IBF world again. It's a break so you're look- was trying to refocus my eye. middleweight king Gennady ing at six to eight weeks before That's when he waved it off. I did Golovkin on September 10, seems sparring. I only start sparring want to fight on because I'm a fight- destined for the 154lb division. when I'm four weeks away from a er but in the long run, the doctor Brook, who is recovering from fight anyway. said if I'd have taken more shots I a broken eye socket sustained in "I'm going to make sure I lis- could have been blinded. the clash with the Kazakh, told ten to them, take things slowly and "We live to fight another day Sky Sports HQ: "I think 154lbs don't go faster than I should." and it was definitely the right would be more my weight class. I think it would have been a choice because I couldn't see in the "I need to get back training and completely different fight if my fight. see if I could make 147lbs healthi- eye hadn't have gone. "If my eye hadn't have gone ly - that's also a possibility be- Brook on Golovkin defeat and I'd have been able to see him, I cause I'm a world champion at lvarez was in imperious form think I weathered the storm - the 147lbs. at the weekend, knocking Liam most intense part. I think he was "I'd love that fight with Cane- Smith down three times on his way starting to tire. I could see after lo. I just want to be in those big to a ninth-round stoppage that every round he started to breathe fights. I had a taste with the earned him the WBO world title. heavily. Golovkin fight and the attention On September 10, Brook was "I was in the fight, up on the around it is exciting for a fighter to ahead of Golovkin on the score- scorecards and it was my time to be in. cards when his trainer Dominic take the shot from him and coming "I've got an operation this Fri- Ingle threw in the towel and re- back were mine. I think it would day. I went down to see the sur- mains adamant that the result have been a completely different geons and they wanted to plan it would have been very different but fight if my eye hadn't have gone. right and look into everything. for the eye problem. I'm gutted because I could've "They're looking to put a tita- 'The Special One' added: "I told shocked the world that night." TUESDAY . SEPTEMBER 20. 2016-Sunbula 30, 1395 H.S Vol:XI Issue No:51 Price: Afs.15

The Envoy: From Kabul to the White House, My Journey Through a Turbulent World Through Pakistani leaders, they tried to influence the Taliban to curb al Qaeda. The NSC, in coop- eration with the CIA, came up with a verity of convert action schemes, most involving the use of afghan tribal forces to conduct AT News Report five days, the ministry said in a Rashed, Tor Khaled and Mullah Qaeda network busted in south- ambushes or raids aimed at cap- statement. Tens of Taliban at- Ashraf were also among the dead. ern Zabul province. Spy agency turing or killing bin Laden. After KABUL: Some 260 Taliban fight- tacked Trinkot city, the provincial Security forces established securi- operatives succeeded to kill five the bombings of the U.S. embas- ers have been killed and 213 oth- capital, where shortly after the at- ty belts around Trinkot in order to Pakistani terrorist and bust an Al- sies in East Africa in August 1998, ers were injured during operations tack, additional forces arrived from prevent attacks on the center of Qaeda network during special op- the Clinton administration in the southern province of Uruz- Kandahar and imposed heavy ca- the province, noted the statement. eration in Mezan district of Zab- launched cruise missile attacks at gan, defense ministry said Mon- sualties on Taliban, the statement Statement said that clearance op- ul. Two suicide vests, one PK, five al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan but day. added. eration by Afghan forces going on grenade bombs, one machine gun bin Laden had moved to a differ- These insurgents were killed and It said that senior Taliban com- in outskirt area of Trinkot. On the left in battle site also seized by ent location prior to the strikes. wounded during the ground and air manders Mullah Abdul Mannan, other hand National Directorate of intelligence operatives, underlined There was a great deal of churning attacks by Afghan forces in the past Mullah Abdul Bari, Mullah Security (NDS) said that an Al- the statement. in the interagency process, but it never provide President Clinton with a credible strategy to elimi- PRISONERS WANT CASES REASSESSED AFTER AFGHAN-IRAN SWAP nate the terrorist safe haven in Af- ghanistan, as this would have re- A number of prisoners, who were of relatives of prisoners who have quired supporting a some king of part of a recent prisoner exchange visited them in Herat have mean- an afghan military force to chal- program between Iran and Afghan- while welcomed the transfer. lenge the Taliban. IN EARLY istan, on Sunday said their cases Some relatives said that it is SUMMER of 1999, I again went had not been investigated proper- the first time they have seen their to Rome t meet Zahir Shah. I en- ly by Iranian authorities and called family members in up to 11 years. couraged him to become the on government to reassess their They said visiting them in Iranian patragar of Afghanistan. partagar cases. The prisoner swap three prisons had been difficult. is an afghan term for a craftsman weeks ago was based on an agree- Meanwhile, the prisoners have who repairs broken meal objects ment signed between the Afghan also called on government to trans- such as pots and dishes. Given the and Iranian governments in which fer them to prisons in their home poverty of the country, patragars both countries agreed to transfer provinces. performed a valued service; ordi- the prisoners to their countries of "I am from Kishm district of nary Afghans could not afford to origin. Based on the agreement, Badakhshan. My family travel throw away old possessions. Af- the group of 197 Afghans were long distances to visit me in Herat ghanistan was like a broken dish, I transferred from Iranian prisons jail. My family will be at risk trav- explained, and needed a partragar in Rome. Still, the king continued old man who has been gone since to Afghanistan and are currently eling such long distances. I want to patch it back together. The king to be reluctant actor. Shouldn’t we 1973. Insofar as they are paying being held in Herat prison. government to let us serve the rest did not appreciate my analogy at wait, he protested at one point, attention to Afghanistan, they see The prisoners however are of our sentences in jails in our home Agha, a transferred prisoner. "I ask government to reassess my fist, resisting comparisons be- for the U.S. to back his enterprise? the Taliban, al Qaeda and Paki- happy to be in a prison in their provinces," said Faiz Mohammad, was in jail for 11 years and my case, because the law in Iran is dif- tween his role and that of a menial, I was exasperated. “The U.S. stan.” I encouraged him to move own country but have asked gov- a prisoner. "We urge the supreme family suffered a lot. We lost ev- ferent from the law in Afghani- low-class peddler. He eventually government does not take you se- forward on his own, soliciting pri- ernment and judicial institutions court and president to forgive us erything we had; nothing has re- stan," said Abdul Gharib, another embraced the concept, agreeing to riously,” I told him, with unusual vate donation from afghan exiles. to reassess their cases. A number and reassess our cases," said Shir mained for me and my family. I prisoner. (ToloNews) chair a conference of Afghan exiles bluntness. “They think you are an To be continued