Afghanistan International: Afghanistan has ranked last among 181 countries in the latest Women, Peace and Security Index published by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, recording the poorest performance on women’s rights. Denmark ranked first. Click here to read more (external link).
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Ibrahim Zadran
Amu: Ibrahim Zadran has replaced Rashid Khan as captain of Afghanistan’s Twenty20 international team, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Thursday as it named squads for an upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Zadran, a top-order batter who previously served as vice-captain in T20 internationals, will take over leadership of the format after Rashid’s tenure, which included Afghanistan’s run to the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The board’s chief selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, said the decision was part of a broader effort to reshape the team’s leadership as it prepares for upcoming global tournaments. Click here to read more (external link).
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Erdogan
Khaama: Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Shehbaz Sharif that Turkey supports a return to diplomatic channels in the Middle East crisis and is ready to back efforts to restore a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Presidency of the Republic of Turkey said Erdogan condemned recent “terrorist attacks” in Pakistan during Tuesday’s call and stressed the need for diplomatic engagement to prevent further bloodshed. Click here to read more (external link).
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Khaama: The Government of the United Kingdom said it has suspended the issuance of student visas for citizens of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, as well as work visas for Afghan nationals. Shabana Mahmood said in a statement on Tuesday, March 3, that Britain will continue to offer refuge to those fleeing war and persecution, but the visa system must not be exploited. The Home Office said asylum applications from students of those countries rose by more than 470% between 2021 and 2025. It added that a significant portion of individuals seeking asylum legally had initially entered Britain on student visas. Click here to read more (external link).
Rashid Khan
Amu: Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan remains at the top of the International Cricket Council’s men’s One Day International bowling rankings, according to the latest update released on Wednesday. Rashid leads the table with a rating of 710 points, maintaining the No. 1 position he also held in October last year. The ranking underscores his continued dominance in limited-overs cricket. Click here to read more (external link).
The Guardian (UK): For the millions of Afghans living in Pakistan – many of them journalists, activists or former government officials who fled Taliban rule – the rising tension is translating into fear at their doorsteps. Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, says returning to their country will put them at “real risk of violent retaliatory attacks”. Click here to read more (external link).
Forbes: Islamabad and Kabul have released conflicting accounts regarding the scope and effectiveness of Afghanistan’s recent drone strikes. Afghan authorities claimed their attacks reached major Pakistani military targets, including sites near Islamabad, and inflicted significant damage and casualties. Pakistan rejected those assertions, stating that only a small number of drones were launched, primarily in border regions. Pakistani officials further maintained that their counter-drone systems intercepted the aircraft before they caused serious damage or fatalities. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: At least 110 civilians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Pakistani air and missile strikes since cross-border clashes began six days ago, a Taliban spokesman claimed Tuesday, offering a sharply higher toll than previously reported by the United Nations. Hamdullah Fitrat, Taliban deputy spokesman, told a news conference that 65 of the dead were women and children and that 123 other civilians had been wounded. He said the casualties resulted from airstrikes and mortar fire. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported 42 civilian deaths during the same period, a figure far lower than the Taliban’s claim. Click here to read more (external link).
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