Tolo News: Officials of the Pashdan Dam in Herat province said that after a one-and-a-half-year hiatus of construction, most areas of the dam are in disrepair. They warned that if the water in the Pashdan dam is not released soon, floods will destroy the water source. Last year, the flood destroyed part of the structure of this dam. “If water in Pashdan Dam is not released soon, we will witness more damage to the canal walls of this dam, which will result in more expenses,” said Abdul Saboor, procurement manager of Pashdan band construction company. With the halt to the project, 1,300 workers and technical employees of the project have become jobless. Click here to read more (external link).
First-ever Afghanistan-Made Supercar ‘Mada-9’ Goes Viral on Social Media
Afghans have designed a supercar. #Afghanistanrising
pic.twitter.com/kkiEp2Ydn8— Open girls' schools – د نجونو ښوونځي پرانیزئ (@paykhar) November 16, 2022
TechJuice (Pakistan): A team of supercar enthusiasts and engineers, ENTOP, from Afghanistan has developed a supercar called ‘Mada-9’. A video post of the ‘Mada 9’ sportscar is going viral on social media with people showing appreciation for the effort. Click here to read more (external link).
Pakistan to Reopen Busy Afghan Border Crossing Shut Over Fatal Shooting
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
November 20, 2022
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has decided to reopen a key southwestern border crossing with landlocked Afghanistan for trade and pedestrian movements starting Monday, a week after sealing the facility over the killing of a Pakistani security guard by an Afghan “terrorist.”
The deadly shooting, which also wounded two soldiers, took place November 13 at the Chaman border terminal between the two countries, known as the Friendship Gate.
Abdul Hameed Zehri, a top Chaman district administration official, announced Sunday that Pakistan had agreed to restore the cross-border movement after receiving “firm assurances” from the Taliban government that “the culprit will soon be arrested and severely punished.”
The Taliban have rejected allegations that the assailant was one of their border guards, saying an investigation was swiftly launched to locate and apprehend him.
Security camera footage shared with VOA shortly after the attack shows the gunman among a group of several Taliban guards before he quickly brings out his weapon and shoots at Pakistani soldiers near an entry point before running back to the Afghan side along with other partners. One of them later returns and is seen firing several shots at the security camera, eventually damaging it.
The Chaman terminal and the northwestern Torkham border crossing serve as the main trade and transit routes for Afghanistan for trade between, and through Pakistan. There are several other, smaller, terminals on the nearly 2,600-kilometer border separating the two countries.
The weeklong border closure has stranded hundreds of trucks on both sides carrying Afghan transit trade goods and freight between the two countries.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan 15 months ago and have relied mostly on trade with Pakistan to generate much-needed revenues for their cash-strapped new government through increased bilateral and transit trade.
The Pakistani government has also removed tariffs and eased visa rules in recent months to facilitate trade activities with the conflict-torn country where the United Nations warns millions of Afghans face acute food shortages.
Islamabad has also dramatically increased Afghan coal imports since the Taliban returned to power, tilting the annual trade balance in favor of Kabul for the first time in the history of bilateral trade.
No country has yet recognized the Islamist Taliban due to human rights issues, particularly their treatment of women.
The absence of legitimacy and the international economic sanctions following the Taliban takeover have pushed the Afghan economy to the brink of collapse.
Pakistan maintains it has no option but to help Afghanistan achieve stability to deter an influx of Afghan refugees and a resurgence of cross-border terrorism.
However, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Buhtto Zardari Friday reiterated that Islamabad would not formally recognize the Taliban government without global consensus, urging the Islamist rulers to fulfill their commitments to the world that they would respect rights of all Afghans, including women, and effectively combat terrorism.
Related
Many Afghan Children Out of School And Working on Street
Child Laborers (file photo)
Tolo News: As the World Children Day is being celebrated on November 20th around the globe, children in Afghanistan are bearing the worst of the humanitarian crisis. Fatima, 8, is an orphan, who is selling bread on a street in capital city of Kabul. Fatima is in the second grade but she sees no clear future for herself, as the schools beyond grade six remained closed for female students. Click here to read more (external link).
Unidentified Gunmen Kill Two Taliban Members in Faryab
8am: The incident took place at 11:00 o’clock on Saturday night (November 19th) in front of the appeals court in Faryab province. Local sources confirmed that unknown gunmen shot dead two Taliban fighters at a security checkpoint, fleeing the scene immediately after the assassination. Click here to read more (external link).
1TV Afghanistan Dari News – November 20, 2022
Disastrous Situation of Media in Afghanistan, MFC Suspends Afghanistan’s Membership
8am: The suffocating atmosphere and censorship have also made the free flow of information and media face serious challenges. In the latest case, the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) has suspended Afghanistan’s membership in this organization. The institution has announced that the media freedom situation in Afghanistan is not in accordance with international commitments, and for this reason, Afghanistan is no longer considered a member of this coalition. Click here to read more (external link).
The Evacuation of the CIA’s Afghan Proxies Has Opened One of the War’s Blackest Boxes
The Intercept: In Afghanistan, it was impossible to talk at any length to members of the secretive commando forces known as the Zero Units. They hunted the Taliban in night raids and were widely accused of killing civilians, including children. Click here to read more (external link).
Corruption, Common Feature of Republic and Taliban Regime
8am: According to the author of the anti-corruption book, “Afghan governments [Karzai and Ghani periods] have depended on the steady flow of corruption income.” The Taliban regime in Afghanistan consumes all government facilities for the expense of personal power. There is no service and no response to people. Click here to read more (external link).