Ayaz Gul VOA News June 8, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The United States has confirmed it is asking Pakistan for help in facilitating the Afghan government’s direct peace talks with the Taliban insurgency. After months of strained relations and disruption in high-level mutual contacts, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week
Ayaz Gul VOA News June 7, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The United States appears to be easing public pressure on Pakistan in a bid to encourage the country to help promote peace and reconciliation with the Taliban to bring an end to the war in Afghanistan. The optimism, analysts say, stemmed from Wednesday’s rare telephone conversation U.S.
Madeeha Anwar VOA News May 16, 2018 WASHINGTON — Pakistan is the one country in the region that has done the most against terrorism, and no country can accuse Pakistan of not doing enough against terrorism and extremism, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s outgoing ambassador to the U.S., told VOA. “Al-Qaida, if you don’t hear about it
Nafees Takar VOA News May 12, 2018 Religious scholars from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia declared terrorism and suicide attacks in Afghanistan and the region as unethical and against the principles of Islam as they gathered at a one-day conference in Bogor, Indonesia, to address violence in Afghanistan. Friday’s conference was held months after more than
Press TV May 9, 2018 Militants have engaged in a gunfight with police after setting off at least three explosions in two districts of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. At least six people were wounded in the violence, Afghan Health Ministry spokesman Wahidullah Majroh, said on Wednesday. He added that the casualty toll would likely go up.
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 26, 2018 ISLAMABAD — A top Pakistani government official argues that the crisis in relations with the United States stems from Washington’s focus on military partnership rather than engaging Pakistan as a democracy and addressing mutual concerns. In an exclusive interview, Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir tells VOA, that as a consequence,
Jeff Seldin VOA News March 22, 2018 WASHINGTON — Top Afghan officials see a genuine chance for peace with elements of the Taliban and the Haqqani network but worry the latest effort at reconciliation could be undermined, both by internal rivals and by Pakistan and other foreign influences. Afghan officials believe those insurgent leaders who seek
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 18, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has conveyed to the leadership in Afghanistan its opinion that the Taliban are left with no “excuse or justification for continuing war” following Kabul’s offer of unconditional peace talks. Islamabad’s National Security Adviser, Nasser Janjua, delivered the message during a daylong official visit Saturday, where he
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 1, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Pakistan praised Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, Thursday for offering unconditional talks to the Taliban, pledging to extend any help “wholeheartedly” to further the peace effort between the warring parties. Ghani, a day earlier, hosted an international conference named the Kabul Process where he invited insurgents to open
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 9, 2018 ISLAMABAD — An American drone attack in northwestern Pakistan is believed to have killed a high-profile militant commander along with several of his aides. Tribal sources and local Pakistani officials confirmed Friday the strike took place a day earlier near the Afghan border in North Waziristan tribal district. They