Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:IX Issue No:206 Price: Afs.15 SATURDAY . FEBRUARY 28 . 2015 -Hoot 09, 1393 HS www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes Spanta, politicians express concerns ABOUT STRATEGY BEHIND PEACE TALKS Former National Security Advi- sor Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta supports Kabul s new initiative to get peace talks with the Tali- ban on track, but harbors doubts about the honest commitment of Afghanistan s key partner in the process, Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, Dr. Spanta cautioned the Afghan gov- ernment about putting too much Ghani terms Panjshir avalanche casualties a national tragedy, call on people for support trust in Pakistan at the expense of relations with India. The news Four diplomats among 28 arrested in Town Peshawar. that peace talks with the Taliban are on the horizon, with U.S. offi- Afghan Consul General Ibrahimkhel protested cials reportedly already having Former National Security Advisor the arrests and termed it a blatant violation of Geneva met with Taliban representatives Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta Convention on diplomatic immunity and privileges in Qatar, has been welcomed by Afghan leaders across the politi- lations with other countries. By our correspondent such acts and termed it contrary cal spectrum. Nevertheless, as in- Peace has its price, but the price to Geneva Convention pertained formation has emerged exposing for this peace must not be the PESHAWAR: At least four dip- to diplomatic immunity and priv- the extent to which Pakistan has achievements of the people of lomats were included amongst ileges. I also informed our Am- been involved in brokering the Afghanistan, its independence scores of Afghan nationals, picked bassador Janan Musazai in Islam- AT Monitoring Desk day. He added that they have on behalf of the victims families talks, a growing concern among and national unity, Spanta said. up by policemen from scattered abad and he is going to bring the kicked off sending assistance to and called for serious attention of some is that Pakistan s motives According to Afghanistan s localities of University Town Pe- matter in notice of foreign office, KABUL: The death toll from the avalanches-hit areas including Pan- the leaders of the national unity might be disingenuous. Moreover, former top national security offi- shawar and its surrounding areas Syed Muhammad Ibrahimkhel re- deadly incident of avalanches in jshir and other provinces. Ac- government to help the avalanch- others, like Dr. Spanta, have cial, the only effective way to in early hours of Thursday. marked, reminding it is not the different parts of the country has cording to him, nearly Afs100 es-hit areas. warned that increased cooperation bring insurgents to the negotiation Continuing crackdown against first instance. Two days back, I increased to more than 200 peo- million has been sent by the AND- The Chief Executive of Af- with Pakistan on the threat of the table is through resistance, not what they called Afghan nation- was stopped and blocked to pro- ple, mostly in central Panjshir MA to different provinces to help ghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, Taliban could cause a cooling of entreaty. He argued those weigh- als illegally residing and staying ceed to my office by the person- province, which has witnessed the victim families. President thanked the president for helping ties with India, which is a rival of ing in on the talks are largely un- in the country, University Town nel of Military Police. He said heavy snowfalls in past few days. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Fri- and assisting all avalanches-hit Pakistan but also a close ally of informed and ill-equipped to han- Police raided residential plazas that hundreds of Afghans nation- The deputy chief of Afghani- day visited the avalanches-hit areas and victims in all over the Kabul. In his interview with dle the task. Due to not having a and compartments in early hours. als are being arrested and locked stan Natural Disasters Manage- province, Panjshir to extend his country. TOLOnews, Dr. Spanta ex- good understanding of foreign At least 28 Afghan nationals re- in jails. The University Town Po- ment Authority (ANDMA), Mo- heartfelt condolences with victim President Ghani during the pressed concerns that the peace policy, Afghan politicians have siding in the area have been picked lice personnel when contacted hammad Aslam Sipas, said the families. The Presidential Palace meeting extended his heartfelt con- process could pressure leaders not paid much attention to this up and locked in the University have confirmed the raids, saying avalanches have claimed 165 lives said in a statement that the presi- dolences to the victim families and making dangerous concessions, issue, Spanta told TOLOnews. Town Police Station. Beside oth- 28 persons were detained and in Panjshir. But the deputy gov- dent attended a session in Bazar- prayed for the departed souls of particularly in the realm of nation- The experiences of other coun- ers, among the arrested persons only one of them is in custody ernor of the province recently told ak, the capital city of Panjshir, the victims of the avalanches. al solidarity, independent and re- tries have shown that, through ..P2 were included four diplomats, whereas the remaining have been media that the death toll in the where the provincial governor He provided Afs20 million to performing their assignments in set free. The policeman said 27 province has reached 187 people. briefed President Ghani about the victims of the avalanches in Pan- Peshawar based Afghanistan Con- of them proved innocent and they Sipas said that the latest fig- number of victims and those who jshir, and said all the people of sulate General. produced documents, validating ure about casualties of avalanches have been provided assistance by Afghanistan were feeling the pain The arrested diplomats were their stay in Pakistan. Only one countrywide is 233 people. He the government. of Panjshir residents, and the in- identified Third Secretary Abdul of them proved suspect and now told this to Radio Azadi on Fri- A resident of Panjshir talked cident was a national tragedy. Hameed Wahidi, Transport Offic- he is under interrogation. Though er Ghulam Sakhi Azeemi, Refu- the detention, arrests and depor- AT Monitoring Desk suicide vehicle-borne improvised gees Affairs Officer Dr. Alkozai tation become a routine matter for Sharif offers Governor sees LeJ, Chechen explosive device (SVBIED) attack and Noor Ahmad Haqjo. Coming Afghan nationals for long but the KABUL: The US Department of in Kabul, Afghanistan, which de- to know about arrests of Afghan latest round has come after dead- relief assistance State s Rewards for Justice Pro- stroyed a US armored vehicle. nationals and diplomats, Pesha- ly terrorist attack on Army Pub- militants hand behind gram offered rewards for informa- The attack killed two US soldiers, war based Afghanistan Consul lic School on December 16th, 2014. for avalanche tion on two associates of the ex- four US civilian contractors, and General Syed Muhammad Ibra- Till the end of the last month, over PASSENGERS ABDUCTION tremist group Hezb-e Islami Gul- eight Afghans including two himkhel rushed to the consulate 10,000 suspects apprehended victims buddin (HIG), a statement post- children, and wounded at least 37 general at around 7.00am. During throughout the country whereas AT Monitoring Desk Nasiri said that efforts were on to ed on the US Department of State others. The statement added that his over three hours stay in Police 1950 Afghans were deported to secure safe release of the abducted website said the other day. Saboor and HIG explosives expert Station, Syed Mohammad Ibra- Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghans KABUL: Local official blamed passengers through mediation of According to the source, the Abdullah Nowbahar were key himkhel has established contacts are still locked in different jails for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Jhangvi 20 tribal chieftains. We are try- Secretary of State has authorized participants in the September 18, with high ranking police officers. lack of proper transportation fa- (LeJ) and Chechen militants for ing our best to secure the release rewards of up to $3 million for 2012 SVBIED attack against a bus He during his telephonic conver- cilities for their deportation to abduction of 30 passengers on of the passengers through media- information leading to the arrest carrying foreign employees of a sation with police officers also Afghanistan via Torkham Khyber Kabul-Kandahar Highway. The tion of the tribal elders. If the ne- or conviction of Abdul Saboor and firm that provided aviation ser- shown severe resentment over Agency. acting governor of Zabul province, gotiations failed, then we will be up to $2 million for information vices to the US Embassy in Kab- Muhammad Ashraf Nasiri, said compelled to conduct a military leading to the arrest or conviction ul. More than a dozen people pets and other necessities of life that the LeJ and Chechen militants operation to rescue to them, he of Abdullah Nowbahar. were killed and nearly a dozen Taliban set for the mosque, he remarked. in cooperation with local insur- added. Siddiq Siddiqi, spokesman The statement said that HIG more were injured in the attack, The militants, he said had warned gents have kidnapped 30 passen- for the Ministry of Interior (MoI) is a derivative of Hezb-e Islami the statement said. mosque on that they would not allow people gers of the Hazara ethnic minori- told TOLOnews that they will (Party of Islam), a political and The Rewards for Justice Pro- to utilize facilities provided by the ty. Around three days ago, a num- spare no efforts to secure safe re- paramilitary organization in Af- gram is administered by the US fire in Ghazni: government.