Ayesha Tanzeem VOA News March 19, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said a combination of religious, social, diplomatic and military pressure will be applied to the Taliban this year to force them to start negotiating for peace in the war-torn country. General John Nicholson, who is leading U.S. and NATO forces
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
Press TV March 17, 2018 A senior US official has accused Pakistan of doing the “bare minimum” required to squeeze the Taliban and terror groups. An unnamed official from US President Donald Trump’s administration told media outlets on Friday that Islamabad has “done the bare minimum to appear responsive to our requests.” The official cited
1TV: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday invited Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to visit Afghanistan. The invitation was extended as Ghani met with visiting Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua in Kabul. Click here to read more (external link). Related Pakistani Military ‘Building’ Close To Torkham
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 16, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan will host high-level talks with Pakistan on Saturday to “chalk out a way forward” to improve strained bilateral ties and enhance cooperation to further a recent Afghan offer of peace talks to the Taliban. Pakistani National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua will travel to Kabul for the
1TV: General Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, was speaking during a Senate Armed Service Committee hearing on Tuesday. The Washington Times citing an intelligence source close to Afghan border region said Pakistan’s ISI intelligence service is providing both protection and material support to the Taliban in areas between Quetta and the Afghan border.
VOA News Ayaz Gul March 15, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Afghan Taliban’s silence to the latest offer of unconditional talks by the Kabul government has raised hopes in Islamabad and Washington the insurgent group may be mulling over joining the peace process. Previous offers of negotiations had been promptly rejected. Pakistani military leaders contend their renewed
The Guardian (UK): As Pakistan deports thousands of Afghans, informal settlements are adding to the intense strain on Kabul’s resources – with potentially disastrous results. Click here to read more (external link). Related Undocumented In Iran: One Family’s Story
Anadolu Agency: The increasingly cold, stalled and often tense ties between Kabul and Islamabad have practically wiped out Pakistan’s traditional market share, allowing new players such as Turkey, China and India to replace it in landlocked Afghanistan, traders said. Click here to read more (external link).
ISLAMABAD, March 9 (Xinhua) — Pakistan on Friday reopened an important border crossing with Afghanistan after nearly three years in a bid to boost trade between the two countries, officials said. The Ghulam Khan border, the third major crossing point with Afghanistan in North Waziristan tribal region, was closed in June 2014 after the security forces launched a major