Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:203 Price: Afs.20 www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 22. 2017 -Hoot 04, 1395 HS ZAKHILWAL FOR LESSENING OF TENSION WITH PAKISTAN KABUL: The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Umer Zakhilwal has held constructive meetings with the civil and military leadership of Pakistan on Tuesday, where he emphasized on reduction of ten- sion between the two countries. Zakhilwal said, “I had a “very good meeting” with Pakistan For- eign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz and also had a “constructive and posi- my return from Kabul on Tues- Afghan-US officials discussed methods of tive talks” with Pakistan Army in day.” General Headquarters (GHQ) on See P3 counternarcotics AT News Report JALALABAD : Fresh troops and Governor Gulab Mangal, accom- lpoora district’s people and efforts ner. organs. Pictured, from left to right: Minister of Counter Narcotics Salamat heavy weapons had been de- panied by some civil and military were underway to resolve the bor- He told security officials to The governor’s visit to La- Azimi; Special Chargé D’Affaires Ambassador Hugo Llorens; Deputy ployed to the border areas of east- officials assessed security situa- der tensions through diplomatic sacrifice for defending the holy lpoora comes as recently the Pa- Minister for Counter Narcotics of the Ministry of Interior Lieutenant ern provinces, officials said on tion and people affected by recent channels, he quoted the governor land of their country standing kistani forces fired light and heavy General Baz Mohammad Ahmadi Tuesday. rocket strikes by Pakistani forces as saying. strong against the enemy. “In case weapons into eastern parts of the On the other hand, Nangar- in Lalpoora district and Torkham If the diplomatic attempts did of need, I would prepare myself country, particularly to Lalpoo- KABUL: The Afghan and the US and Beyond’. har governor, who observed the Township. not bear fruit, then the brave Af- to stand with our security forces ra district and inflicted casualties officials discussed the ways of The two workshops covered Lalpoora district and Torkham During his visit, the governor ghan nation was ready for any type for defending our territory,” he on many people as well as forced counter-narcotics efforts in a joint a range of issues, including the Af- Township from close on Mon- also shared President Ashraf Ghani of response to Pakistan’s rocket added. more than a hundred families to workshop held on Tuesday in ghan National Drug Action Plan, day, said Afghan forces were and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) shelling, he said, assuring victims The governor also overviewed leave their homes. Officials in Kabul. public information efforts, eradi- ready for taking any needed mea- Abdullah Abdullah’s messages of the attacks would be covered security forces bases in various eastern Kunar province also said The US Ambassador to Kab- cation, interdiction, and alternative sures. with local security officials and with essential care. areas and met with soldiers at the the cross border shelling had ul, Hugo Llorens reaffirmed his development. These events set the Nangarhar governor’s tribal elders, he said. Mangal ordered officials con- Torkham commissary and other caused financial and human loss- country’s support for Afghani- agenda for joint counter narcotics spokesman, Attuallah Khogyani, Both the local and central gov- cerned to deliver needed aid to vic- security officials. He stressed close es to people in two districts of stan’s counter narcotics objectives efforts for 2017 and beyond, ac- told Pajhwok Afghan News that ernments were careful about La- tims’ families in a transparent man- coordination among all security the province. (Pajhwok) at the event, the US embassy said cording to the statement. in a statement. “All of us here today recog- nize the magnitude of Afghani- Hakimi meets UN stan’s counter narcotics problem… IECC stresses on official, We must eradicate more poppies, seize more heroin, prosecute more representatives of traffickers, and reduce the flows of these harmful drugs… Togeth- media outlets role donor er, we can jointly create a better future for all Afghans,” Llorens said According to Afghan troops in organizations at the workshop titled ‘Interdic- in election process Helmand province, the government forces’ ammunition and weapons AT News Report tion Workshop: 2017 and be- The Independent Electoral Com- cess will be seriously damaged. yond’. sell to Taliban at cheap prices. KABUL: Finance Minister Eklil plaint Commission (IECC) says Meanwhile, members of IECC They say after buying, the Counter-narcotics minister the role of media outlets is very have also emphasized on political Hakimi met Tuesday with Mark Salamat Azimi, deputy interior Taliban fighters transfer the weap- Bowden, deputy of special repre- effective for the public awareness participation and contribution of ons and ammunition to districts of minister Baz Mohammad Ahmadi and can play effective and posi- people that can prevent fraud and sentative of the United Nations and representatives from Afghan Helmand province to fight against for Afghanistan and representa- tive role in the election process. irregularities in the election. “The Afghan security forces. government and the US counter- “The electoral bodies are ready media can make people trust the tives from donor countries and or- narcotics organizations participat- Afghan military forces noted ganizations, finance ministry said. to hold the parliamentary and pro- election and this helps the politi- that the key sellers of weapons are ed in the workshop. vincial council elections, but the cal participation increase and fraud “They discussed on women’s The interdiction-focused event the commanders and arms and economic growth program, com- role of media outlets has been con- prevented in election process,” ammunition is accessible in the was a continuation to a prior work- sidered very valuable in election said Ali Reza Rohani, member of mitments for Afghanistan’s self- shop hosted by the U.S. Embassy shops of the city. reliance based on mutual account- process,” said Abdul Aziz Aryay- IECC. However the Afghan gov- However, the governor of Hel- February 6-8 titled ‘Coordinating ee, chairman of IECC. ernment has not announced the ability framework,” it said in a Counter Narcotics Efforts for 2017 mand province rejected that the statement. Chairman of IECC has warned exact time of holding election but weapons are selling to Taliban but that if a transparent election not said to hold the upcoming election “Minister of Finance thanked declared that the government of- special representative the United held, Afghanistan would face many in the spring or fall seasons of the ten buys arms and ammunition NDS arrests challenges and the democracy pro- next year. (Ariananews) Nations whose mission is over from Taliban group in the prov- now for the coordination between ince. two terrorists spector for Afghanistan Recon- for Afghanistan. Transparency In- Afghanistan and donor countries.” The international community Furthermore, Ministry of Fi- spent billions of dollars on equip- struction (SIGAR) show the lack ternational, an organization that of hundreds of millions of dollars tracks corruption internationally, nance launched weekly meeting in Laghman ment and training of the Afghan with donors for obtaining more forces. in the police salary fund. ranked Afghanistan among its glo- AT News Report Corruption is a major problem bal top lists. (Ariananews) coordination in Aid Section, ac- But audits by the Special In- cording to the ministry’s statement. KABUL: The National Direc- torate of Security (NDS) on Tues- day said that its operatives arrest- ed two terrorists who planned to TAPI engineering design agreement signed conduct terrorist activities in Agreement for the engineering de- Palace. Mahtram city, the provincial cap- sign of the project was signed by “The TAPI pipeline project ital of the eastern province of Lagh- the Afghan Gas Enterprise and will cost $7.4 million and will be man, said a statement issued by Germany’s ILF Company on completed in two phases,” Habib- NDS. NATO returns advisory role to Tuesday, the Presidential Palace yar said. The captured people identified said in a statement. He added: “The first phase of as Rafai-U-Allah and Baberzai The acting mines minister, the project – which includes the who confessed during primary in- basics amid extra troops rumors Ghezal Habibyar, said the practi- security of the project, agreements, vestigation that they have been NATO commanders in the southern province of Kandahar have said cal implantation of the Turkmeni- design, social and environmental tasked by Taliban commander their training advisers have started spending more time in the field with stan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and study, demining, a survey of the Mullah Nomyali to conduct sub- the Afghan army to enhance the fighting capabilities of the conventional India (TAPI) gas pipeline project pipeline’s route and expropriation versive activity in Mehtarlam city, forces in their campaign against the Taliban. NATO officers in Kandahar will take three years while the de- will be completed in one year.” The “The pipeline will change Af- project, said the project is of great added the statement. say that by training lower ranks within Afghanistan’s armed forces will sign, management and other tasks two phases will take four years. ghanistan into a transit