Taliban minister says Afghanistan relied on Pakistan for 70% of medicines

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Amu: Noor Jalal Jalali, the Taliban health minister, said on Tuesday that the country is seeking to reduce its reliance on medicines imported from Pakistan, which he said previously supplied up to 70% of Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market. Taliban stopped the imports of medicines from Pakistan in November after heightened tensions with the neighboring country. Click here to read more (external link).

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Fazal-ur-Rehman Criticizes Pakistan’s Policy Toward Afghanistan

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Fazlur Rehman

Tolo News: Fazal-ur-Rehman said: “In seventy-eight years, Afghanistan has never been a friend of Pakistan. Isn’t that a failure of our policy toward Afghanistan? We must reflect on our own policies. From Zahir Shah to Ashraf Ghani, we’ve never had a friendly government in Afghanistan. Why is that? It’s true that we deliver speeches in our own country and place the blame on others, but we must also look into our own conscience, even for a moment.” In another speech yesterday at a gathering of religious scholars in Karachi, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman also criticized Pakistan for bombing Kabul. Click here to read more (external link).

Afghanistan Beat Bangladesh 3–1 in Women’s Central Asian Volleyball

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Khaama: Afghanistan’s women’s volleyball team secured their first Central Asian Championship win, defeating Bangladesh 3–1 in Malé after earlier losses in the tournament. The Central Asian championship features teams from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Kyrgyzstan and runs from December 19 to December 25, providing a rare competitive platform for women’s volleyball teams from the region. Click here to read more (external link).

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Pak Opposition Warns Of Strained Ties With Afghan Taliban, Urges Dialogue

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Afghanistan International: Opposition parties in Pakistan have voiced concern over deteriorating relations between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban and called for disputes to be resolved through dialogue. Following a two-day meeting in Islamabad, the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan coalition said in a statement that it supports reopening border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan and resuming bilateral trade. Click here to read more (external link).

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Afghans mark Yalda Night as symbol of hope and endurance

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Amu: Afghans across the country marked Yalda Night, also known as Shab-e Chella, the longest night of the year, celebrating a centuries-old tradition that many regard as a symbol of hope, patience and the belief that light follows darkness. Families in several provinces gathered late into the night, sharing food and conversation to honour the ancient occasion, even as some households faced limited access to electricity and basic services. Click here to read more (external link).

The Light That Shines Through the Universe: 30-Foot Bamyan Buddha to Tower Over New York’s High Line

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Khaama: Vietnamese-American sculptor Tuan Andrew Nguyen will install an eight-meter replica of the Bamiyan Buddha along Tenth Street in Manhattan in spring 2026. Titled The Light That Shines Through the Universe, the sculpture is intended as a symbol of resilience, hope, and peace, commemorating the destroyed 6th-century statues in Afghanistan. The installation is part of the High Line Plinth program and will be displayed in a suspended park at Tenth Street and 30th Avenue. Click here to read more (external link).

Turkish intelligence captures a Daesh member near the Durand Line

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Ariana: The suspect, identified as Mehmet Goren, is a Turkish citizen. He was apprehended during a covert operation and transferred to Turkey. Details on the timing of the operation or the involvement of Afghan and Pakistani authorities were not disclosed. According to the report, Goren had risen through the ranks of Daesh and was allegedly tasked with carrying out suicide bombings in Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Europe. Click here to read more (external link).

70 Percent Of TTP Fighters Are Afghans, Says Pak Army Chief

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Munir

Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, has warned the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that no threat to Pakistan’s security and sovereignty will be tolerated, claiming that about 70 percent of the group’s fighters are Afghans. Munir described the TTP as a direct challenge to the Pakistani state and said restoring the writ of the government is the exclusive responsibility of the state. He stressed that the declaration of jihad lies solely with the government, not with individuals or armed groups. Click here to read more (external link).