Japan Times: President Ashraf Ghani has ordered a “thorough investigation” into institutionalized sexual abuse of children by police, after it was revealed the Taliban are using child sex slaves to launch deadly insider attacks. There has been international condemnation of pedophilic “bacha bazi” — literally “boy play” — which has been exploited by the Taliban to mount
The New Yorker: A trained anthropologist who spent years doing field work for the World Bank, Ghani has been in and out of the Afghan government ever since the overthrow of the Taliban, in 2001. His abiding concern has been how to create viable institutions in poor countries overrun with violence, focusing on states that can’t
Tolo News: The Meshrano Jirga (the Upper House of Parliament) on Tuesday approved President Ashraf Ghani’s legislative decree on electoral reforms. After this, a joint commission of Meshrano Jirga and Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) will pave the way for bringing reforms into electoral bodies and the electoral system. This comes after the Wolesi Jirga rejected the
Tolo News: Farzad, 18, was on his way to the shops when a car, allegedly part of a convoy of President Ashraf Ghani’s delegation, collided with his bicycle, killing him instantly. His distraught family have called for justice. The Herat governor has confirmed that an employee from the presidential guard was in the car when it hit Farzad.
Khaama Press: President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani visited the restive southern Helmand province today to review the security situation of the province which has been witnessing heavy clashes during the past several weeks. The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said President Ghani delivered a speech to the Afghan Army personnel in 215th Maiwand Corps in Lashkargah city.
Human Rights Watch: Afghanistan’s government should urgently act to end wrongful imprisonment and humiliating, scientifically invalid “virginity exams” of women and girls, Human Rights Watch said today. Despite a pledge from President Ashraf Ghani in a February 2016 letter to Human Rights Watch to “prevent the imprisonment of women accused of running away from their family,”
KABUL, May 21 (Xinhua) — Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left here on Saturday for Qatar for a two-day official visit to the Gulf state, said a statement issued by the country’s Presidential Palace. President Ghani will meet Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh
VOA News May 16, 2016 KABUL—Tens of thousands of ethnic minority Hazaras, protesting the rerouting of a power line, were blocked in their attempt to march to the presidential palace in Kabul Monday. Authorities, fearing violence, set up shipping containers overnight, effectively closing off Kabul’s commercial center to foot and motor traffic. Leaders of Monday’s
VOA News Ayaz Gul May 15, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Afghanistan security forces said Sunday they have halted advances overnight by the Taliban on a key northern city and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. The fighting on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Baghlan province, erupted when the Taliban overran several villages and security outposts, residents and
Tolo News: President Ashraf Ghani, in a decree, on Sunday suspended work on the 500 Kilovolt electricity project from Turkmenistan and assigned a 12-member commission to assess the situation. According to the decree obtained by TOLOnews, the commission has been tasked with the job of assessing the project within 10 days. The third article of the six-article decree states