Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 25, 2018 Daud Khattak Frud Bezha A veterinary student from Pakistan’s militancy-hit tribal areas, Manzoor Pashteen did not appear to be destined for the national stage. But the 26-year-old has become a rising celebrity as the leader of a new protest movement advocating for the rights of Pakistan’s Pashtun minority.
The Express Tribune (PK): The border between the two countries is set and has been so for the entirety of Pakistan’s existence, which is why Afghanistan must not squander more time in accepting this ground reality. It must recognise the fact that extending an offer of recognition to the Taliban while continuing to remain adamant and intransigent
1TV: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday voiced support for Pashtun Long March, which is organized in Islamabad to protest against authorities’ alleged abuses against the ethnic group. The protest in Islamabad comes after last month Naqeebullah Mehsud, a model was shot in Karachi by police who claimed that he was a militant. Click here to
Al Jazeera: While Ghani has systematically forced non-Pashtun leaders out of the unity government, he has surrounded himself with Pashtun ethnonationalist leaders. Ghani has also appointed a handful of Pashtu-speaking advisors and has given them full access to government resources and decision-making authority within the Presidential Palace. Click here to read more (external link).
Al Jazeera: The 2004 Afghan constitution invests the president with more powers than former Afghan kings had before the republican period. Among them is the power to appoint all government officials, political and professional, from the cabinet to the district levels. At the same time the office of the president, at least in practice, tends to
Foreign Affairs: Although the Taliban has demonstrated a surprising ability to survive and conduct high-profile attacks in cities like Kabul, it is weaker today than most recognize. It is hamstrung by an ideology that is too extreme for most Afghans, a leadership structure that is too closely linked to the Pashtun ethnic group, an over-reliance on
VOA News / December 30, 2017 Ayaz Gul ISLAMABAD — A powerful Afghanistan governor returned to his office Saturday and chaired an official meeting in violation of a presidential decree that ousted him from his post earlier this month. The escalating political uncertainty comes as the United States and its allies step up military efforts in
1TV: Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Monday said he agreed with President Ashraf Ghani’s decision to accept resignation of Ata Mohammad Noor as Balkh governor. Afghan presidency announced approval of Noor’s resignation a week ago. Noor, however, protested the move saying the resignation, offered months ago, was no longer valid, and said that the central
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty December 23, 2017 One of Afghanistan’s most powerful regional politicians has vowed to defy his ouster as governor of the northern province of Balkh, posing a potential threat to the shaky Western-backed governing coalition of President Ashraf Ghani. The presidential palace said on December 18 that it had approved the resignation
Tolo News: Balkh officials said they are optimistic that Ghani and Noor will reach an agreement as the two sides have started indirect negotiations. Former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor and President Ashraf Ghani have started indirect negotiations to come to an agreement about their disagreement over Noor’s resignation from his post, local officials said