Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XV Issue No:62 Price: Afs.20 www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimes www.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SUNDAY . OCTOBER 11. 2020 - Mizan 20, 1399 HS www.afghanistantimes.af AT News KABUL: After weeks of mara- thon talks, the government and Taliban are still dragging their feet and meeting without substantial results in sight. The delegations of Afghan government and Taliban say that the talks have not been stopped and are proceeding according to plan. Fauzia Kofi, an Afghan gov- ernment delegate, said the talks haven’t hit pause, “We are just negotiating on a smaller scale. It is a success that we on both fronts of the war are negotiating”. She called for the talks to be speeded A view of talks taking place between Afghan government negotiators and Taliban up and decisions to be made soon- insurgents in Doha, Qatar on September 12. (REUTERS) er. “We know we have been em- broiled in war for forty years, at an abrupt announcement by the mas”, despite a landmark deal between the United least two decades with the Tali- U.S. President Trump who recent- States and the Taliban in February that sets a full ban,” she said. The snail-paced ly said all US troops in Afghani- withdrawal to take place by May 2021. His abrupt Qatar negotiations coincide with stan should be “home by Christ- exit plan to disentangle a 19-year... AT News from Afghanistan, saying that the prevent a crisis. “Before peace if this (US withdraw- pullout ahead of peace would af- al) is done will put its impact and we will be respon- KABUL: Abdullah Abdullah, fect the situation in the war-hit sible,” he said. Abdullah said that here is nobody to chairman of the high council for country. He emphasized on Sat- sabotage peace process inside the government of Af- national reconciliation expresses urday that Afghans should be ghanistan, but some people are worried of peace with concerns over the US withdrawal ready for the US drawdown and Taliban. “I don’t say they... SUNDAY . OCTOBER, 11, 2020 AFGHANISTAN TIMES As trade relations is increasing following COVID-19 outbreak. between Afghanistan and Iran, The Afghan Ministry of In- illegal import of goods from Iran dustry and Commerce said the KABUL: A thousand pedestal to Afghanistan has also in- government is taking proper mea- fans were purchased for the con- creased, according to Afghani- sures to prevent illegal import of sultative Loya Jirga on peace at a stan Chambers Federation goods. “We have discussed the is- price that is about 440,000 af- (ACF). The volume of the goods sue with the Afghan Ministry of ghanis higher than the average coming to Afghanistan through Interior Affairs and officials at our market rate. Additionally, no bids smuggling from Iran and Paki- borders and customs offices and were called for buying the fans. stan is equal to the level of the also our business community and With 20 of the fans have been goods coming legally and the Ministry of Finance. We are look- missing from the warehouse, 130 trend severely damaging domes- ing to ensure the formation a com- Fatima Gailani, one of only four women at crucial peace talks with the Taliban, is preparing the way for a new others were purchasedat an inex- tic production, the ACF chief mittee to prevent this as soon as Khan Jan Alokozai said. possible,” said Nisar Ahmad Gho- Afghanistan. For her, it's a dream come true. For her country, it's a painstaking endurance test. pensive rate from a different com- pany, an investigation by Pajh- “Fifty percent of goods is ryani, nominee for the Ministry wok Afghan News reveals. imported legally and 50 percent of Industry and Commerce. The massive tribal assembly illegally, not only from Iran, but Earlier, a number of business- Coming face to face with the ene- also from Pakistan. This trend men and members of the Chamber my is still a rare occasion. In Doha, convened on August 7 this year in the Loy Jirga hall in Kabul to puts severe implications on our of Industries and Mines raised only a few leaders from the war- economy," Alokozai added. concerns about what they de- ring parties are still doggedly dis- discuss the release of 400 con- troversial Taliban prisoners. He said that illegal import scribed as Iran's dumping policies cussing the rules and procedures of goods from Iran has doubled in Afghanistan. that will later apply to all dele- On the Loya Jirga’s recom- gates to the Afghan peace negoti- mendation, the government freed ations. But for female delegate the Taliban prisoners and the Fatima Gailani, direct contact with way for the start of intra-Afghan the Taliban has already occurred. peace talks in Qatar was thus "During dinner we had a long, paved. Information from the Op- long conversation," says Gailani. eration and Support wing of the "And when we see each other in National Development Author- the corridor, we stop to ask about ityat the Presidential Palace, each other's health. And because I tasked with calling the Loya Jir- came from such a serious illness, ga into session, indicates that most of them stop and show their over 173 million afghanis were sympathy, they show their hap- spent on arrangements for the jir- piness that I am well and that I ga. A document available to Pajh- have joined." wok Afghan News reveals that 42 years of war in Afghani- the Operation wing of the Na- stan When referring to the Tali- tional Development Authority, in ban, Gailani does not use the term addition to other expenditure, "enemy" despite an acrimonious purchased 1,000 pedestal fans history. "Really, I haven't seen any under a contract with MasehMo- reaction that I didn't like. But These four women are representing Afghanistan in Doha — from left to right: Fawzia Koofi (former sawir Company. One pedestal when it comes to serious talks in member of parliament), Sharifa Zurmati (former member of the Independent Election Commission), fans was bought for 3,050afs. A the future, of course, we will have Fatima Gailani and Habiba Sarabi (former governor of Bamyan Province) total of 3.5 million afswere pro- our differences. But my hope is vided for the purchase of the that we will resolve these differ- fans. Of the remotely-controlled ences because we have a very ugly ture of women is important to Gailani follows one guiding stan want to be, how democratic, pedestal fans, 20 no longer exist option in front of this peace, and them and the name for that is fem- principle, and it applies to the how equal, how gender fair, how in the warehouse of the Loya Jir- that's war." inist, then maybe I am. But I have whole of Afghanistan, she says: the Islamic? Will the country remain ga hall. As per information, 850 Gailani is part of the Islamic equal passion for other things killing must stop. "Whoever is re- a republic or can it only find peace of the fans have been manufac- KABUL: Amid reports of a assigned to fight the health crisis Republic of Afghanistan's negoti- which are not right in my coun- sponsible for it — it has to stop. as a theocracy — for example as tured by the Pak Fan Company surge in the number of Covid- have not reported back about the ating team, which was established try. So maybe I am an activist That's why for me, a cease-fire is an Islamic emirate? And who de- and 130 by the Royal Fan Com- 19 cases in Afghanistan, the scale and area of the fund spend- through international efforts fol- for whatever goes wrong in my the number one priority. The peo- fines the social values that also pany. The Royal Fan Compa- Kabul government is facing ing. “The overall money provided lowing the overthrow of the Tali- country." Gailani hails from an ple of Afghanistan have put a tre- depend on the interpretation of ny’s product is less expensive. mounting criticism over alleged by international donors and the ban regime. "For me it was like a influential religious family with mendous hope in this peace talks." the Quran and Sharia law? These The cost of each fan thus works misuse of international funds to budget that was allocated by the dream come true," Gailani told DW connections to the former Afghan But fighting, bombings and killings key questions have remained un- out at 3,050afs. battle the pandemic, the media government for fighting Covid-19 via a WhatsApp call from the lux- monarchy. She studied Persian continue relentlessly in Afghani- resolved for decades, and not Higher rate: reported A Kabul-based anti- are estimated to 19.8 billion Af- ury hotel that is hosting the his- literature, Islamic Studies and Is- stan — even as US and NATO only since the rise of the Taliban. Each remote-controlled ped- corruption organization, Integ- ghanis,” said Shamroz Khan toric peace talks in Qatar's capi- lamic law. She grew up in peace troops prepare to leave. Washing- Is the US an honest broker? estal fan was purchased for the rity Watch Afghanistan (IWA), Masjidi, spokesman for the Min- tal. "The last 42 years of my life under the reform-minded King ton wants to end its longest war as What does a possible pow- Loya Jirga at a cost of on Friday said the government istry. The Attorney General’s Of- was dedicated to seeing peace one Zahir Shah, Afghanistan's last soon as possible and has single- er-sharing deal with the Taliban 3,050afs.But the Usman Nawid was not ready to provide the fice said that some cases of cor- day in my country." monarch, who in the 1960s initi- handedly negotiated the terms of look like? Peace researcher Mar- Shopping Centre in the Nader details of the money it spent for ruption against former and current Twenty-one people are rep- ated reforms that created oppor- the Western withdrawal with the iam Safi is also concerned with Pashtoon Avenue says the aver- combating the pandemic, re- officials of the Ministry of Public resenting each side at the negoti- tunities for women to participate Taliban, without involving the Af- this question.