In a dusty Kabul suburb, hundreds of workers check and recheck biometric fingerprint readers&nbsp;part of a massive effort to ensure Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election is not tainted by fraud allegations that have marred previous polls.

The young employees at the Independent Election Commission (IEC) are rushing through final technical preparations for the vote, set for September 28.

The stakes for the IEC are high, with the question of turnout in Afghanistan's fourth presidential election since the fall of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-taliban-tells-teachers-students-to-block-presidential-elections-or-risk-death-250375">Taliban</a>&nbsp;crucial to whether it is seen as fair and transparent.

The Taliban have openly threatened to disrupt the polls and killed 26 people in a bomb blast at a campaign rally being held by President Ashraf Ghani earlier this week.

Turnout in previous polls has historically been low. The United Nations estimated it at around 32 per cent for the 2009 elections, while no credible figure was available for the 2014 vote.

Each time the exercise has been tainted with accusations of irregularities particularly in 2014.

Then, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bomb-blast-hits-pro-ghani-campaign-gathering-in-central-afghanistan-source-250173">Ghani</a> and rival Abdullah Abdullah both claimed to have won, plunging Afghanistan into months of crisis before the US and the UN pressured them to form a "national unity government", with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-president-ashraf-ghani-sees-his-chance-in-upcoming-elections-after-collapse-of-us-taliban-talks-250287">Ghani</a> as president and Abdullah his chief executive.

The two are once again facing off in 2019 as the likely favourites, underscoring the comparison to 2014.

"People have lost their trust and confidence because of serious fraud in the past elections," Sughra Saadat, spokeswoman for the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), told AFP.

"So far, election bodies have failed to restore people's trust."

Without such faith in the process, it is hard to see why voters should risk their lives to participate.

Yet the winner will need a strong mandate if he wants to pose as an interlocutor with the Taliban in any future talks.

The insurgents have always considered Ghani a "puppet" of Washington and ensured he was sidelined from talks which have since fallen apart&nbsp;between Washington and the Taliban that would have paved the way for the US to begin withdrawing troops.

If re-elected, Ghani hopes to put the Afghan government back in the mix.

Secret weapon&nbsp;

The IEC's chairwoman, Hawa Alam Nooristani, assured AFP that this vote will be different "because we have worked on rules and regulations, procedures and mechanisms to prevent fraud".

Supervisors in Afghanistan's 34 provinces were recruited in a process overseen by independent organisations such as the TEFA, she added.

Her secret weapon&nbsp;the biometric fingerprint readers which are meant to prevent people from voting more than once was used during the chaotic legislative elections in October last year, but they were only introduced at the eleventh hour.

Untrained staff struggled with glitches such as the devices running out of power, and the result was at best mixed.

This time, she says, all the necessary precautions have been taken&nbsp;in particular, getting technicians from the German company which makes the readers train the IEC workers directly.

Protecting voters&nbsp;and polling station officials&nbsp;remains a top priority.

All observers expect a further wave of violence from the insurgents, who want to undermine the future head of state by discouraging as many of the 9.6 million voters as possible from going to the polls.

Nearly 500 polling stations have already been excluded because security could not be guaranteed, leaving 4,942 across the country to be protected by 72,000 members of the security forces.

The IEC's huge complex is itself a tightly guarded fortress, with four checkpoints and as many barriers to cross before visitors can access it.

Under a blazing sun, workers unload long bundles of canvas from a truck tent&nbsp;which will serve as polling stations in rural areas without the necessary facilities.

Grey metal hangars house the technical operations.

Under one, the voices of around a hundred young people can be heard as they activate and test the biometric readers before stacking them in large blue plastic boxes.

In the next hangar, men fill the same blue boxes with sealed ballots, voter registers, and a variety of materials to guarantee the integrity of the ballot.

Those include invisible ink to mark voter registration cards, with the mark only visible under the light of a small torch contained in the box, batteries included.

Then there's the traditional, low-tech safeguard: bottles of indelible ink into which every voter will dip their finger as they vote.

"It will make a difference," Farid Nader, a supervisor, says hopefully. "Young people will trust the election."

In a dusty Kabul suburb, hundreds of workers check and recheck biometric fingerprint readers part of a massive effort to ensure Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election is not tainted by fraud allegations that have marred previous polls.

In a dusty Kabul suburb, hundreds of workers check and recheck biometric fingerprint readers part of a massive effort to ensure Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election is not tainted by fraud allegations that have marred previous polls. The young employees at the Independent Election Commission (IEC) are rushing through final technical preparations for the vote, set for September 28. The stakes for the IEC are high, with the question of turnout in Afghanistan's fourth presidential election since the fall of the Taliban crucial to whether it is seen as fair and transparent. The Taliban have openly threatened to disrupt the polls and killed 26 people in a bomb blast at a campaign rally being held by President Ashraf Ghani earlier this week. Turnout in previous polls has historically been low. The United Nations estimated it at around 32 per cent for the 2009 elections, while no credible figure was available for the 2014 vote. Each time the exercise has been tainted with accusations of irregularities particularly in 2014. Then, Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah both claimed to have won, plunging Afghanistan into months of crisis before the US and the UN pressured them to form a "national unity government", with Ghani as president and Abdullah his chief executive. The two are once again facing off in 2019 as the likely favourites, underscoring the comparison to 2014. "People have lost their trust and confidence because of serious fraud in the past elections," Sughra Saadat, spokeswoman for the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), told AFP. "So far, election bodies have failed to restore people's trust." Without such faith in the process, it is hard to see why voters should risk their lives to participate. Yet the winner will need a strong mandate if he wants to pose as an interlocutor with the Taliban in any future talks. The insurgents have always considered Ghani a "puppet" of Washington and ensured he was sidelined from talks which have since fallen apart between Washington and the Taliban that would have paved the way for the US to begin withdrawing troops. If re-elected, Ghani hopes to put the Afghan government back in the mix. Secret weapon The IEC's chairwoman, Hawa Alam Nooristani, assured AFP that this vote will be different "because we have worked on rules and regulations, procedures and mechanisms to prevent fraud". Supervisors in Afghanistan's 34 provinces were recruited in a process overseen by independent organisations such as the TEFA, she added. Her secret weapon the biometric fingerprint readers which are meant to prevent people from voting more than once was used during the chaotic legislative elections in October last year, but they were only introduced at the eleventh hour. Untrained staff struggled with glitches such as the devices running out of power, and the result was at best mixed. This time, she says, all the necessary precautions have been taken in particular, getting technicians from the German company which makes the readers train the IEC workers directly. Protecting voters and polling station officials remains a top priority. All observers expect a further wave of violence from the insurgents, who want to undermine the future head of state by discouraging as many of the 9.6 million voters as possible from going to the polls. Nearly 500 polling stations have already been excluded because security could not be guaranteed, leaving 4,942 across the country to be protected by 72,000 members of the security forces. The IEC's huge complex is itself a tightly guarded fortress, with four checkpoints and as many barriers to cross before visitors can access it. Under a blazing sun, workers unload long bundles of canvas from a truck tent which will serve as polling stations in rural areas without the necessary facilities. Grey metal hangars house the technical operations. Under one, the voices of around a hundred young people can be heard as they activate and test the biometric readers before stacking them in large blue plastic boxes. In the next hangar, men fill the same blue boxes with sealed ballots, voter registers, and a variety of materials to guarantee the integrity of the ballot. Those include invisible ink to mark voter registration cards, with the mark only visible under the light of a small torch contained in the box, batteries included. Then there's the traditional, low-tech safeguard: bottles of indelible ink into which every voter will dip their finger as they vote. "It will make a difference," Farid Nader, a supervisor, says hopefully. "Young people will trust the election."

Fraud the main enemy for Afghan election officials

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will travel to Washington on September 7 for talks with US President Donald Trump, a source in Ghani's administration told Sputnik on Friday.

According to the source, a 13-member delegation will accompany the Afghan leader.

The visit will come as Washington and the Taliban movement are making attempts to agree on a peace deal, under which US forces will withdraw from the country, while all the parties involved have concerns.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will travel to Washington on September 7 for talks with US President Donald Trump, a source in Ghani's administration told Sputnik on Friday.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will travel to Washington on September 7 for talks with US President Donald Trump, a source in Ghani's administration told Sputnik on Friday. According to the source, a 13-member delegation will accompany the Afghan leader. The visit will come as Washington and the Taliban movement are making attempts to agree on a peace deal, under which US forces will withdraw from the country, while all the parties involved have concerns.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold talks with Trump on September 7 in Washington: Report

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team.

Hanif Atmar, the former national security advisor to Ghani, had hoped to beat his former boss in elections set for September 28.

Official campaign season started July 28 but was immediately beset by deadly violence, when Ghani's running mate Amrullah Saleh was targeted in an attack in Kabul that killed at least 20 people.

Atmar highlighted the violence in his decision to suspend his campaign, and also attacked Ghani for using his presidential bully pulpit to an unfair and "illegal" advantage.

"Threats against the election process have increased with each passing day," Atmar said.&nbsp;

"This is not only threatening the election teams and their campaigns, but also endangers the lives of millions of Afghans who participle in the election."

Atmar's campaign was also beset by rumours of an internal rift with one of his running mates.

With Atmar's at least temporary departure, only Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah remains as a serious opponent.&nbsp;

The election race is off to a lacklustre start and many observers think the poll will be postponed again -- it has already been pushed back twice this year -- to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the US and the Taliban.

Of the 18 candidates running, many have not bothered launching their campaigns and at least one has already abandoned the race completely.

Atmar cited the need to focus on peace as another reason he paused his campaign.

A possible deal between the US and the Taliban is widely viewed as entering its final phase, but questions remain about what happens next and when a ceasefire might kick in.

In a message Thursday ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha festival, top Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada avoided any mention of a ceasefire and taunted American and foreign troops.

"We believe the time of demise and humiliation of these tyrants has come near, Allah willing," Akhundzada said.

His message also criticised the Afghan and US militaries for killing Afghans, even though the Taliban continue to strike urban areas packed with civilians.

On Wednesday, a Taliban bomb killed at least 14 people and wounded 145 more in an attack on a Kabul police station. Most of the dead and wounded were civilians, authorities said.

Even if an election goes ahead, Afghans are pessimistic about whether it will be fair or safe, after violence and widespread fraud allegations tainted previous polls.

A survey released Thursday by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found that 57 percent of Afghans have no intention of voting.

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team.

An Afghan politician once seen as a top contender to stop President Ashraf Ghani winning a second term suspended his campaign on Thursday amid worsening violence and problems on his team. Hanif Atmar, the former national security advisor to Ghani, had hoped to beat his former boss in elections set for September 28. Official campaign season started July 28 but was immediately beset by deadly violence, when Ghani's running mate Amrullah Saleh was targeted in an attack in Kabul that killed at least 20 people. Atmar highlighted the violence in his decision to suspend his campaign, and also attacked Ghani for using his presidential bully pulpit to an unfair and "illegal" advantage. "Threats against the election process have increased with each passing day," Atmar said. "This is not only threatening the election teams and their campaigns, but also endangers the lives of millions of Afghans who participle in the election." Atmar's campaign was also beset by rumours of an internal rift with one of his running mates. With Atmar's at least temporary departure, only Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah remains as a serious opponent. The election race is off to a lacklustre start and many observers think the poll will be postponed again -- it has already been pushed back twice this year -- to create space for a peace deal to be finalised between the US and the Taliban. Of the 18 candidates running, many have not bothered launching their campaigns and at least one has already abandoned the race completely. Atmar cited the need to focus on peace as another reason he paused his campaign. A possible deal between the US and the Taliban is widely viewed as entering its final phase, but questions remain about what happens next and when a ceasefire might kick in. In a message Thursday ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha festival, top Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada avoided any mention of a ceasefire and taunted American and foreign troops. "We believe the time of demise and humiliation of these tyrants has come near, Allah willing," Akhundzada said. His message also criticised the Afghan and US militaries for killing Afghans, even though the Taliban continue to strike urban areas packed with civilians. On Wednesday, a Taliban bomb killed at least 14 people and wounded 145 more in an attack on a Kabul police station. Most of the dead and wounded were civilians, authorities said. Even if an election goes ahead, Afghans are pessimistic about whether it will be fair or safe, after violence and widespread fraud allegations tainted previous polls. A survey released Thursday by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found that 57 percent of Afghans have no intention of voting.

Top opponent suspends campaign to unseat Afghan president

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani agreed that it was time to "accelerate efforts" to end the war in Afghanistan, the State Department said on Thursday. Pompeo and Ghani spoke by phone on Wednesday, the State Department said. Pompeo assured Ghani that the United States remains committed to a conditions-based drawdown of troops, according to the State Department. Violence flared in Kabul on Thursday, with two explosions taking place moments after a bus carrying government employees was hit by a blast, killing five people.

Pompeo, Ghani agree to 'accelerate efforts' to end war in Afghanistan: State Department

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-president-ashraf-ghani-arrives-in-pakistan-on-two-day-visit-230761">Afghan President Ashraf Ghani</a> held a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday and discussed the Afghan peace process.

"One on one meeting held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Islamabad. Matters pertaining to bilateral cooperation in various sectors and regional situation were discussed in the meeting," tweeted the government of Pakistan.&nbsp;

Ghani reached Pakistan for his two-day official visit earlier today. He received a guard of honour on arrival at the PM House upon his arrival.

Earlier in the day, Ghani met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Pakistan Government has claimed that Ghani "appreciated" Pakistan's efforts for the peace process.

Qureshi emphasised that Pakistan wants to play a role in "achieving peace in Afghanistan with sincerity and an open heart".

"For decades now, the people of Afghanistan have suffered due to the security situation and instability prevalent in their country. That must end and Pakistan wants to play its due role in achieving that objective," FM Qureshi said.

"Pakistan has always emphasised the need for result-oriented talks. We firmly believe that is the only way to establish durable peace in Afghanistan," he added.

This visit becomes doubly important after the first Afghan peace conference titled 'Lahore Process' held on June 22 in Bhurban Murree.

According to ARY News, more than 50 delegates, including heads of all Afghan political parties and the political advisor to Ghani, attended the meet.&nbsp;

Former Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, senators and members of Afghan parliament were also in attendance.

Ghani had earlier undertaken a bilateral visit to Pakistan in November 2014 and subsequently, came to attend the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process (HoA) Ministerial Conference in Islamabad in December 2015, Gulf News reported.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani held a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday and discussed the Afghan peace process. "One on one meeting held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Islamabad.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani held a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday and discussed the Afghan peace process. "One on one meeting held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Islamabad. Matters pertaining to bilateral cooperation in various sectors and regional situation were discussed in the meeting," tweeted the government of Pakistan. Ghani reached Pakistan for his two-day official visit earlier today. He received a guard of honour on arrival at the PM House upon his arrival. Earlier in the day, Ghani met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Pakistan Government has claimed that Ghani "appreciated" Pakistan's efforts for the peace process. Qureshi emphasised that Pakistan wants to play a role in "achieving peace in Afghanistan with sincerity and an open heart". "For decades now, the people of Afghanistan have suffered due to the security situation and instability prevalent in their country. That must end and Pakistan wants to play its due role in achieving that objective," FM Qureshi said. "Pakistan has always emphasised the need for result-oriented talks. We firmly believe that is the only way to establish durable peace in Afghanistan," he added. This visit becomes doubly important after the first Afghan peace conference titled 'Lahore Process' held on June 22 in Bhurban Murree. According to ARY News, more than 50 delegates, including heads of all Afghan political parties and the political advisor to Ghani, attended the meet. Former Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, senators and members of Afghan parliament were also in attendance. Ghani had earlier undertaken a bilateral visit to Pakistan in November 2014 and subsequently, came to attend the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process (HoA) Ministerial Conference in Islamabad in December 2015, Gulf News reported.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani hold meeting, discuss peace process

Afghanistan's President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-to-visit-pakistan-will-discuss-talks-with-imran-khan-224176">Ashraf Ghani will visit Pakistan </a>on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, less than a week after its neighbour hosted Afghan opposition leaders to discuss ways to end an 18-year-long war.

Ghani's third visit since 2014 comes as efforts have intensified to reach a political settlement with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-statestaliban-aim-to-firm-up-date-for-foreign-force-exit-from-afghanistan-230057">Taliban</a> and end decades of war in Afghanistan, which has long accused Pakistan of supporting the Islamist insurgent movement.

"It is important to see how much regional countries, such as Pakistan, is ready and what kind of help it can provide for peace in Afghanistan," said Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for Ghani in Kabul, the capital.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said the visit would focus on boosting cooperation in areas from security and peace and reconciliation to trade and the economy, adding that officials and a business delegation would accompany Ghani.

Taliban and US officials have held several rounds of talks and say they are close to agreeing a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops and guarantees that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militant attacks on US targets.

But Ghani's government has been shut out of negotiations by the Taliban's refusal to deal with what they consider an illegitimate "puppet" regime.

Ghani this year accused Pakistan of meddling in internal politics, saying the keys to the war are in the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where its government and military are based, and Quetta, location of a key group of Taliban leaders.

Pakistani officials deny supporting the Taliban and say Islamabad strongly favours a political settlement to maintain stability in Afghanistan, but Afghan officials remain cautious.

Pakistan's role in the peace talks is delicate, as it seeks to avoid demonstrating the kind of broad influence over the Taliban long attributed to it by Washington.

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the push to broker a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban, has held several rounds of talks with Pakistani officials to smooth the way.

Last week, dozens of Afghan politicians and opposition leaders gathered in Pakistan to discuss ways to achieve peace.

Trade analysts said Afghanistan was a key export market and important hub with central Asia for Pakistan, which faces bleak economic headwinds, including a looming balance of payments crisis likely to be worsened by regional turmoil.

"At this stage Pakistan cannot afford to see Afghanistan slide into chaos when it has been running short of foreign exchange reserves," said Mohammad Jamaluddin of the Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani will visit Pakistan on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, less than a week after its neighbour hosted Afghan opposition leaders to discuss ways to end an 18-year-long war.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani will visit Pakistan on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, less than a week after its neighbour hosted Afghan opposition leaders to discuss ways to end an 18-year-long war. Ghani's third visit since 2014 comes as efforts have intensified to reach a political settlement with the Taliban and end decades of war in Afghanistan, which has long accused Pakistan of supporting the Islamist insurgent movement. "It is important to see how much regional countries, such as Pakistan, is ready and what kind of help it can provide for peace in Afghanistan," said Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for Ghani in Kabul, the capital. Pakistan's foreign ministry said the visit would focus on boosting cooperation in areas from security and peace and reconciliation to trade and the economy, adding that officials and a business delegation would accompany Ghani. Taliban and US officials have held several rounds of talks and say they are close to agreeing a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops and guarantees that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militant attacks on US targets. But Ghani's government has been shut out of negotiations by the Taliban's refusal to deal with what they consider an illegitimate "puppet" regime. Ghani this year accused Pakistan of meddling in internal politics, saying the keys to the war are in the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where its government and military are based, and Quetta, location of a key group of Taliban leaders. Pakistani officials deny supporting the Taliban and say Islamabad strongly favours a political settlement to maintain stability in Afghanistan, but Afghan officials remain cautious. Pakistan's role in the peace talks is delicate, as it seeks to avoid demonstrating the kind of broad influence over the Taliban long attributed to it by Washington. US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the push to broker a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban, has held several rounds of talks with Pakistani officials to smooth the way. Last week, dozens of Afghan politicians and opposition leaders gathered in Pakistan to discuss ways to achieve peace. Trade analysts said Afghanistan was a key export market and important hub with central Asia for Pakistan, which faces bleak economic headwinds, including a looming balance of payments crisis likely to be worsened by regional turmoil. "At this stage Pakistan cannot afford to see Afghanistan slide into chaos when it has been running short of foreign exchange reserves," said Mohammad Jamaluddin of the Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to visit Pakistan in bid to step up peace effort

While Afghanistan gears up to have its fourth Presidential elections in September this year, India has reiterated its support for an "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled" inclusive peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country.

India`s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-envoy-to-un-syed-akbaruddin-speaks-exclusively-to-wion-215115">Syed Akbaruddin</a> speaking at an open debate on the situation in Afghanistan at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-requests-un-security-council-meeting-on-golan-205899">United Nations Security Council</a> said on Wednesday that India stands committed to support the peace process, which promotes and protects unity, sovereignty, democracy, inclusiveness and prosperity of the country.&nbsp;

Akbaruddin said that while the country may be perceived as a "threat of transnational terrorism," it is the people of Afghanistan who have long been its victims.

"While there may be perceptions of threats of transnational terrorism from Afghanistan, in reality, it is the Afghan people who have been, for long, victims of transnational terrorism," said Akbaruddin.&nbsp;

Afghanistan is suffering from an unstable political, social, and security situation due to the activities of the various terrorist organisation, including the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS).&nbsp;

In his address, Akbaruddin stressed that the "sanctuaries and safe havens provided to" these terror networks need to be addressed for genuine and sustainable peace in the region.

"As the way forward is chalked out, we cannot ignore those groups enjoying the support and safe havens carry out violent and terrorist activities from across borders.&nbsp;

They cannot be allowed to negotiate from a place of advantage," said Akbaruddin"The sanctuaries and safe havens provided to terror networks have to be addressed for genuine and sustainable peace.

&nbsp;The terrorist activities of the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Da`esh, as well as Al Qaeda and its proscribed affiliates, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, need to end," he added.&nbsp;

The war-torn nation is scheduled to undergo three elections--presidential, the provincial councils and the Ghazni parliamentary elections, simultaneously on September 28."By all accounts, this is a crucial year for Afghanistan.

&nbsp;While Afghanistan gears up to have its fourth Presidential elections later this year, all of us need to be mindful of the gains that the Afghan people have made in the last 18 years.

"They have strengthened democracy in their country; established a constitutional order; uplifted the status of women; protected the status of minorities and youth; built a strong army and sturdy security forces, and created stronger regional links.&nbsp;

The Ambassador stressed that India will continue to assist the people of Afghanistan in "fulfilling their desire for a peaceful country, which can focus on development and build on the gains in their journey towards greater prosperity and higher achievements" The conduct of transparent, credible and timely Presidential elections during the year will assist in this endeavour," he said.&nbsp;

Akbaruddin referred to the concluding communique of the Loya Jirga, convened by President Ghani on April 29, which called amongst other things for a ceasefire, talks without pre-conditions, a Taliban office to be opened in Afghanistan, a responsible withdrawal of international forces, the formation of an inclusive negotiating team, continued support from the international community, and the preservation of human rights, particularly women`s rights.

"These provisions, agreed to by the Afghan people, have been long-standing and are supported strongly by several countries in the region," he said.&nbsp;

While Afghanistan gears up to have its fourth Presidential elections in September this year, India has reiterated its support for an "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled" inclusive peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country.

While Afghanistan gears up to have its fourth Presidential elections in September this year, India has reiterated its support for an "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled" inclusive peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country. India`s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin speaking at an open debate on the situation in Afghanistan at United Nations Security Council said on Wednesday that India stands committed to support the peace process, which promotes and protects unity, sovereignty, democracy, inclusiveness and prosperity of the country. Akbaruddin said that while the country may be perceived as a "threat of transnational terrorism," it is the people of Afghanistan who have long been its victims. "While there may be perceptions of threats of transnational terrorism from Afghanistan, in reality, it is the Afghan people who have been, for long, victims of transnational terrorism," said Akbaruddin. Afghanistan is suffering from an unstable political, social, and security situation due to the activities of the various terrorist organisation, including the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS). In his address, Akbaruddin stressed that the "sanctuaries and safe havens provided to" these terror networks need to be addressed for genuine and sustainable peace in the region. "As the way forward is chalked out, we cannot ignore those groups enjoying the support and safe havens carry out violent and terrorist activities from across borders. They cannot be allowed to negotiate from a place of advantage," said Akbaruddin"The sanctuaries and safe havens provided to terror networks have to be addressed for genuine and sustainable peace. The terrorist activities of the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Da`esh, as well as Al Qaeda and its proscribed affiliates, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, need to end," he added. The war-torn nation is scheduled to undergo three elections--presidential, the provincial councils and the Ghazni parliamentary elections, simultaneously on September 28."By all accounts, this is a crucial year for Afghanistan. While Afghanistan gears up to have its fourth Presidential elections later this year, all of us need to be mindful of the gains that the Afghan people have made in the last 18 years. "They have strengthened democracy in their country; established a constitutional order; uplifted the status of women; protected the status of minorities and youth; built a strong army and sturdy security forces, and created stronger regional links. The Ambassador stressed that India will continue to assist the people of Afghanistan in "fulfilling their desire for a peaceful country, which can focus on development and build on the gains in their journey towards greater prosperity and higher achievements" The conduct of transparent, credible and timely Presidential elections during the year will assist in this endeavour," he said. Akbaruddin referred to the concluding communique of the Loya Jirga, convened by President Ghani on April 29, which called amongst other things for a ceasefire, talks without pre-conditions, a Taliban office to be opened in Afghanistan, a responsible withdrawal of international forces, the formation of an inclusive negotiating team, continued support from the international community, and the preservation of human rights, particularly women`s rights. "These provisions, agreed to by the Afghan people, have been long-standing and are supported strongly by several countries in the region," he said.

India supports Afghan-led inclusive peace process: Syed Akbaruddin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday late evening for a bilateral meet on the sidelines of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-pleasantries-exchanged-between-pm-modi-and-imran-khan-on-day-1-of-sco-summit-226949">SCO Summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan</a>.

During the meet, India assured the Afghans that it will fulfil all the expectations of Afghanistan and Kabul in the path of "legitimate government chosen through democratic path".

In the bilateral meet that lasted for more than 30 minutes, PM Modi said neighbours can work together and gave the example of India-Bangladesh ties.

The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and the role played by India towards an inclusive Afghanistan."

The Afghan president shared his views on the current situation in his country and how both New Delhi and Kabul should see drugs and terror together since the former fuels the latter.

He also shared his views on "sincerity of Pakistan" on action taken on terror group on its territory which has been a common cause of concern for both the countries.&nbsp;

New Delhi has been Afghanistan's biggest backer in the region. India through its community development scheme since 2005 has supported over 550 projects throughout Afghanistan. Of these, around 345 projects have been completed while the remaining are in various stages of completion.&nbsp;

India is the largest donor to Afghanistan in the region and since 2001 after the fall of the Taliban, the country has undertaken projects and programmes of over $2 billion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday late evening for a bilateral meet on the sidelines of SCO Summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday late evening for a bilateral meet on the sidelines of SCO Summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. During the meet, India assured the Afghans that it will fulfil all the expectations of Afghanistan and Kabul in the path of "legitimate government chosen through democratic path". In the bilateral meet that lasted for more than 30 minutes, PM Modi said neighbours can work together and gave the example of India-Bangladesh ties. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and the role played by India towards an inclusive Afghanistan." The Afghan president shared his views on the current situation in his country and how both New Delhi and Kabul should see drugs and terror together since the former fuels the latter. He also shared his views on "sincerity of Pakistan" on action taken on terror group on its territory which has been a common cause of concern for both the countries. New Delhi has been Afghanistan's biggest backer in the region. India through its community development scheme since 2005 has supported over 550 projects throughout Afghanistan. Of these, around 345 projects have been completed while the remaining are in various stages of completion. India is the largest donor to Afghanistan in the region and since 2001 after the fall of the Taliban, the country has undertaken projects and programmes of over $2 billion.

Will back legitimate government chosen through democratic path: PM Modi to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani

An influential former adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, now a leading electoral rival, has accused his old boss of hampering peace with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-says-held-extensive-talks-with-us-officials-reconvening-saturday-200349">Taliban </a>by blocking efforts to include a broad range of voices in the process.

With Afghan politics in deep confusion as talks between the United States and Taliban representatives proceed, Mohammad Haneef Atmar, a former national security adviser once seen as the second-most powerful man in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-to-hold-grand-council-of-tribal-elders-political-leaders-to-discuss-peace-talks-199665">Afghanistan</a>, accused Ghani of exploiting the uncertainty to gain re-election.

"The president is making things very difficult by taking measures that are extremely unfavourable to the process," Atmar, who resigned from the government last year, told Reuters in an interview.

The comments reflect the extent to which the peace process has become tied into upcoming presidential elections at which Atmar, a veteran of decades of Afghanistan's treacherous and often bloody politics, will be a leading contender.

Like other candidates, Atmar has called for Ghani to step down in May, when his five-year term ends, to clear the way for a caretaker government that would allow a broader-based approach to the peace process.

"We are certainly supportive of a caretaker government when on 21st of May the mandate of this government comes to an end. Given his record we are much better off without him."

Harun Chakhansuri, Ghani's spokesman, said the president has clear plans for bringing peace to Afghanistan and had repeatedly called on the Taliban to talk with the Afghan side.

"The only person that has a proper plan, road map and initiative for peace is President Ghani, and the consensus on peace is the result of this road map," Chakhansuri told Reuters.

Chakhansuri added that the president would stay until elections were held and said Atmar's call for Ghani to step down was "baseless".

Ghani has so far been sidelined from any direct role in the process by the Taliban's refusal to talk to what it considers a US-appointed "puppet" government.

UNCERTAINTY OVER PEACE TALKS

He was reportedly furious when a group of leading politicians outside the government, including both Atmar and former President Hamid Karzai, met Taliban officials in Moscow.

Atmar said the politicians were keen to convince the Taliban to talk to Ghani's peace representatives but had been blocked by the president, who has pushed the United Nations not to relax travel restrictions on Taliban representatives.

"First he criticized everyone who participated and second, he is writing letter to UN to bar the Taliban from travel," Atmar said.

An ethnic Pashtun former intelligence officer in the communist government who lost a leg fighting the anti-Soviet Mujahideen in the 1980s, Atmar, who speaks fluent English, is well liked by Western officials.

He was a central figure behind a 2014 bilateral security agreement with the United States and a 2016 reconciliation accord that allowed former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to return to Kabul and rejoin the political mainstream.

If he won the election, he said, his priorities would be national unity, peace, justice and cooperation domestically and beyond.

Atmar's rift with Ghani adds to the uncertainty among many Afghans about the future and questioning whether the peace talks between the United States and the Taliban will bear fruit.

The election is also shaping up as a major challenge for the government, with rising speculation that the poll may be delayed or not held at all if a peace deal is reached with the Taliban.

Atmar, who resigned over "serious differences" with Ghani, said he was not confident the election would be free of the fraud that marred both the 2014 presidential election and last October's parliamentary election.

"We are absolutely concerned about interference of the government in the election and he is seriously abusing his incumbency power," Atmar said.

"If he does not change the way he is behaving, he will be seen as the main obstacle not only to peace but holding a free and fair election."

An influential former adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, now a leading electoral rival, has accused his old boss of hampering peace with the Taliban by blocking efforts to include a broad range of voices in the process.

An influential former adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, now a leading electoral rival, has accused his old boss of hampering peace with the Taliban by blocking efforts to include a broad range of voices in the process. With Afghan politics in deep confusion as talks between the United States and Taliban representatives proceed, Mohammad Haneef Atmar, a former national security adviser once seen as the second-most powerful man in Afghanistan, accused Ghani of exploiting the uncertainty to gain re-election. "The president is making things very difficult by taking measures that are extremely unfavourable to the process," Atmar, who resigned from the government last year, told Reuters in an interview. The comments reflect the extent to which the peace process has become tied into upcoming presidential elections at which Atmar, a veteran of decades of Afghanistan's treacherous and often bloody politics, will be a leading contender. Like other candidates, Atmar has called for Ghani to step down in May, when his five-year term ends, to clear the way for a caretaker government that would allow a broader-based approach to the peace process. "We are certainly supportive of a caretaker government when on 21st of May the mandate of this government comes to an end. Given his record we are much better off without him." Harun Chakhansuri, Ghani's spokesman, said the president has clear plans for bringing peace to Afghanistan and had repeatedly called on the Taliban to talk with the Afghan side. "The only person that has a proper plan, road map and initiative for peace is President Ghani, and the consensus on peace is the result of this road map," Chakhansuri told Reuters. Chakhansuri added that the president would stay until elections were held and said Atmar's call for Ghani to step down was "baseless". Ghani has so far been sidelined from any direct role in the process by the Taliban's refusal to talk to what it considers a US-appointed "puppet" government. UNCERTAINTY OVER PEACE TALKS He was reportedly furious when a group of leading politicians outside the government, including both Atmar and former President Hamid Karzai, met Taliban officials in Moscow. Atmar said the politicians were keen to convince the Taliban to talk to Ghani's peace representatives but had been blocked by the president, who has pushed the United Nations not to relax travel restrictions on Taliban representatives. "First he criticized everyone who participated and second, he is writing letter to UN to bar the Taliban from travel," Atmar said. An ethnic Pashtun former intelligence officer in the communist government who lost a leg fighting the anti-Soviet Mujahideen in the 1980s, Atmar, who speaks fluent English, is well liked by Western officials. He was a central figure behind a 2014 bilateral security agreement with the United States and a 2016 reconciliation accord that allowed former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to return to Kabul and rejoin the political mainstream. If he won the election, he said, his priorities would be national unity, peace, justice and cooperation domestically and beyond. Atmar's rift with Ghani adds to the uncertainty among many Afghans about the future and questioning whether the peace talks between the United States and the Taliban will bear fruit. The election is also shaping up as a major challenge for the government, with rising speculation that the poll may be delayed or not held at all if a peace deal is reached with the Taliban. Atmar, who resigned over "serious differences" with Ghani, said he was not confident the election would be free of the fraud that marred both the 2014 presidential election and last October's parliamentary election. "We are absolutely concerned about interference of the government in the election and he is seriously abusing his incumbency power," Atmar said. "If he does not change the way he is behaving, he will be seen as the main obstacle not only to peace but holding a free and fair election."

Election rival says Afghan President Ghani hindering peace deal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/trump-strategy-a-game-changer-for-peace-process-in-afghanistan-ashraf-ghani-180161">Afghan President Ashraf Ghani</a> on Sunday replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials, in a major shake-up days after US President Donald Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in the country.

Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former heads of the Afghan intelligence agency, have been appointed to the critical posts of interior minister and defence minister, respectively, a presidential decree said.

There was no official explanation for the sudden reshuffle.

But it comes four months after Ghani rejected the resignations of former interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and defence minister Tariq Shah Bahrami following criticism over an increasingly deadly insurgency.

The move caps a tumultuous few days for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/afghanistan">Afghanistan</a> after an American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country.

The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the 17-year conflict with the Taliban.&nbsp;

While the Taliban has not issued a formal statement on Trump's plan, a senior commander told AFP the group was "more than happy".

Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-envoy-visits-kabul-after-talks-with-taliban-on-afghan-peace-185428">US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad</a> met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul.

Observers fear the hasty move could undermine Khalilzad's negotiating position, embolden the Taliban, and further erode morale among Afghan forces, which are being slaughtered at a record rate.

Ghani, who is planning to seek re-election in April, could be trying to strengthen his security credentials ahead of the vote.&nbsp;

Saleh, a fierce government critic who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s, served as head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) from 2004 to 2010.&nbsp;

Khaled was briefly NDS chief in 2012 before being wounded by a Taliban suicide bomber. Both men will serve as acting ministers until the parliament approves their appointments.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials, in a major shake-up days after US President Donald Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in the country.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials, in a major shake-up days after US President Donald Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in the country. Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former heads of the Afghan intelligence agency, have been appointed to the critical posts of interior minister and defence minister, respectively, a presidential decree said. There was no official explanation for the sudden reshuffle. But it comes four months after Ghani rejected the resignations of former interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and defence minister Tariq Shah Bahrami following criticism over an increasingly deadly insurgency. The move caps a tumultuous few days for Afghanistan after an American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country. The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the 17-year conflict with the Taliban. While the Taliban has not issued a formal statement on Trump's plan, a senior commander told AFP the group was "more than happy". Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. Observers fear the hasty move could undermine Khalilzad's negotiating position, embolden the Taliban, and further erode morale among Afghan forces, which are being slaughtered at a record rate. Ghani, who is planning to seek re-election in April, could be trying to strengthen his security credentials ahead of the vote. Saleh, a fierce government critic who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s, served as head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) from 2004 to 2010. Khaled was briefly NDS chief in 2012 before being wounded by a Taliban suicide bomber. Both men will serve as acting ministers until the parliament approves their appointments.

Afghanistan President Ghani replaces top security chiefs in major shake-up

President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday rejected a phone call from his Pakistani counterpart, Pajhwok Afghan news reported.&nbsp;

According to reports, Ghani&#39;s interior minister was sent to Islamabad along with officials who would be sharing evidence of Pakistan&#39;s involvement in the recent terror attacks on Afghanistan.&nbsp;

According to the Pajkwok report, Pakistan&#39;s PM wanted to share his sympathies with his Afghan counterpart over the series of terror attacks in the country.&nbsp;

In an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-buys-weapons-from-international-companies-sells-to-taliban-through-its-domestic-markets-afghan-envoy-to-us-tells-wion-31297">interview with WION</a> Afghanistan&#39;s envoy to the US, Majeed Qarar, noted Pakistan&#39;s involvement in the recent attack on Kabul. According to Qarar, Pakistan has been buying military-grade weapons from international companies and selling them to Taliban.&nbsp;

Pakistan's PM wanted to share his sympathies with his Afghan counterpart over the series of terror attacks

President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday rejected a phone call from his Pakistani counterpart, Pajhwok Afghan news reported. According to reports, Ghani's interior minister was sent to Islamabad along with officials who would be sharing evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the recent terror attacks on Afghanistan. According to the Pajkwok report, Pakistan's PM wanted to share his sympathies with his Afghan counterpart over the series of terror attacks in the country. In an interview with WION Afghanistan's envoy to the US, Majeed Qarar, noted Pakistan's involvement in the recent attack on Kabul. According to Qarar, Pakistan has been buying military-grade weapons from international companies and selling them to Taliban.

Afghan President rejected phone call from Pakistan's Abbasi 

It doesn&#39;t get more direct than what President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan had to say at Amritsar on Sunday.

&quot;Pakistan,&quot; he told representatives of nearly 50 countries or organisations, including Pakistan foreign affairs and security adviser Sartaj Aziz, who had gathered in the northern Indian town for the sixth edition of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process on Afghanistan,&nbsp;&quot;has pledged 500 million dollars for Afghanistan&rsquo;s development. This amount, Mr Aziz, can be spent to fight terrorists and extremists in Pakistan.&quot;

TV cameras did not capture Aziz&#39;s expression but the sting in&nbsp;Ghani&#39;s words was not lost on anyone. The Afghan President did not stop at that. 
 
&ldquo;A key Taliban leader,&quot; the Afghan President said, &quot;has himself admitted to getting sanctuary in Pakistan. He said that without Pakistan support, we would have&nbsp;not lasted for more than a month.&rdquo; 
 
As if on cue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who co-chaired the conference with Ghani, called for action &quot;against those who support, shelter, train and finance&quot; terrorists.&nbsp;

&quot;Silence and inaction against terrorism in Afghanistan and our region will only embolden terrorists and their masters,&quot; he continued in the same vein.

This double-barrelled attack on Pakistan, by the Afghan and Indian leaders, was in keeping with India&#39;s attempts of late to shame their common neighbour and further isolate it diplomatically.&nbsp;The bonhomie between Kabul and New Delhi extended to the bilateral talks between Ghani and Modi on the margins of the conference.

Economic partnership via trade and connectivity, development assistance and security cooperation were among the bilateral, regional and global issues that came up for discussion in their meeting.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Ghani and Modi agreed to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation to combat especially the cross-border nature of the scourge which had caused immense suffering to the people of India and Afghanistan.

Both countries decided to operationalise the additional one billion meant as Indian development assistance for infrastructure and connectivity projects. They also plan to introduce an air transport corridor between India and Afghanistan&nbsp;to give India and Afghan consumers and producers unimpeded access to each other&#39;s products and services.

Modi was to amplify it later by saying that &quot;Afghanistan should be at the centre of our connectivity networks, not peripheral to them. On our part, we see Afghanistan as the hub for strengthening links of connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;We,&quot; he said, &quot;cannot deny that the more connected Afghanistan is with the regional arteries of trade, capital and markets, the more assured would be its economic growth and progress. President Ghani and I have converged on the priority of strengthening trade and transport linkages with other partners in the region.&quot;

For his part, Ghani said that all the countries in Afghanistan&#39;s neighbourhood and beyond &quot;need to identify cross-border terrorism and a fund to combat terrorism&quot;. He lauded India&#39;s development role in his war-torn country by saying that Indian assistance is transparent and came without without strings attached. &quot;There are no hidden agreements [or] secret conditions...it is convergence of interests and values of two states inspired by the belief in cooperative advantage.&quot;

Aziz defended by saying in his intervention afterwards at the conference that &quot;it is simplistic to blame only one country for the recent upsurge in violence&quot; in Afghanistan. In an oblique reference to the continued India - Pakistan tensions, he said that peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes will further improve regional cooperation and connectivity in the region. (Pakistan does not allow India access through its territory for exporting goods to Afghanistan.) 
 
However, at a joint news conference with Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai of Afghanistan, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (standing in for Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is indisposed) said that terrorism was at the very core of the deliberations and that the tone had been set by Ghani and Modi earlier in the day. 
 
Karzai, in turn, spoke about how Pakistan, without naming it, is nurturing and flirting with terrorism, which has consequences not only for Pakistan itself but also for the region. 
 
The participating countries, Jaitley added, recognised that terrorism was the biggest threat to peace and stability and the Amritsar Declaration (see below) adopted towards the end of the summit expressed concern over violence perpetrated by terrorist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

If there were fears that India - Pakistan tensions would hijack the conference agenda, it was not to be. In the end, Aziz&#39;s engagements did not go beyond the customary handshake and photo-op with Modi. Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup maintained that there was no pull-aside or bilateral meeting between Aziz and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval either.&nbsp;

An excerpt from the Amritsar Declaration:

&quot;We remain concerned by the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan in particular and the region and the high level of violence caused by the Taliban, terrorist groups including ISIL / DAISHand its affiliates, the Haqqani Network, Al Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah and other foreign terrorist fighters. Acknowledging the support that terrorism derives in our region, we demand an immediate end to all forms of terrorism, as well as all support to it, including financing of terrorism. We recognize that terrorism is the biggest threat to peace, stability and cooperation in our region. We encourage the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan. We strongly call for concerted regional and international cooperation to ensure elimination of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, including dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the Heart of Asia region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terrorism.&quot;

(WION)

Silence and inaction against terrorism in Afghanistan and our region will only embolden terrorists and their masters: Modi

It doesn't get more direct than what President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan had to say at Amritsar on Sunday. "Pakistan," he told representatives of nearly 50 countries or organisations, including Pakistan foreign affairs and security adviser Sartaj Aziz, who had gathered in the northern Indian town for the sixth edition of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process on Afghanistan, "has pledged 500 million dollars for Afghanistan’s development. This amount, Mr Aziz, can be spent to fight terrorists and extremists in Pakistan." TV cameras did not capture Aziz's expression but the sting in Ghani's words was not lost on anyone. The Afghan President did not stop at that. “A key Taliban leader," the Afghan President said, "has himself admitted to getting sanctuary in Pakistan. He said that without Pakistan support, we would have not lasted for more than a month.” As if on cue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who co-chaired the conference with Ghani, called for action "against those who support, shelter, train and finance" terrorists. "Silence and inaction against terrorism in Afghanistan and our region will only embolden terrorists and their masters," he continued in the same vein. This double-barrelled attack on Pakistan, by the Afghan and Indian leaders, was in keeping with India's attempts of late to shame their common neighbour and further isolate it diplomatically. The bonhomie between Kabul and New Delhi extended to the bilateral talks between Ghani and Modi on the margins of the conference. Economic partnership via trade and connectivity, development assistance and security cooperation were among the bilateral, regional and global issues that came up for discussion in their meeting. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Ghani and Modi agreed to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation to combat especially the cross-border nature of the scourge which had caused immense suffering to the people of India and Afghanistan. Both countries decided to operationalise the additional one billion meant as Indian development assistance for infrastructure and connectivity projects. They also plan to introduce an air transport corridor between India and Afghanistan to give India and Afghan consumers and producers unimpeded access to each other's products and services. Modi was to amplify it later by saying that "Afghanistan should be at the centre of our connectivity networks, not peripheral to them. On our part, we see Afghanistan as the hub for strengthening links of connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia". "We," he said, "cannot deny that the more connected Afghanistan is with the regional arteries of trade, capital and markets, the more assured would be its economic growth and progress. President Ghani and I have converged on the priority of strengthening trade and transport linkages with other partners in the region." For his part, Ghani said that all the countries in Afghanistan's neighbourhood and beyond "need to identify cross-border terrorism and a fund to combat terrorism". He lauded India's development role in his war-torn country by saying that Indian assistance is transparent and came without without strings attached. "There are no hidden agreements [or] secret conditions...it is convergence of interests and values of two states inspired by the belief in cooperative advantage." Aziz defended by saying in his intervention afterwards at the conference that "it is simplistic to blame only one country for the recent upsurge in violence" in Afghanistan. In an oblique reference to the continued India - Pakistan tensions, he said that peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes will further improve regional cooperation and connectivity in the region. (Pakistan does not allow India access through its territory for exporting goods to Afghanistan.) However, at a joint news conference with Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai of Afghanistan, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (standing in for Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is indisposed) said that terrorism was at the very core of the deliberations and that the tone had been set by Ghani and Modi earlier in the day. Karzai, in turn, spoke about how Pakistan, without naming it, is nurturing and flirting with terrorism, which has consequences not only for Pakistan itself but also for the region. The participating countries, Jaitley added, recognised that terrorism was the biggest threat to peace and stability and the Amritsar Declaration (see below) adopted towards the end of the summit expressed concern over violence perpetrated by terrorist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. If there were fears that India - Pakistan tensions would hijack the conference agenda, it was not to be. In the end, Aziz's engagements did not go beyond the customary handshake and photo-op with Modi. Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup maintained that there was no pull-aside or bilateral meeting between Aziz and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval either. An excerpt from the Amritsar Declaration: "We remain concerned by the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan in particular and the region and the high level of violence caused by the Taliban, terrorist groups including ISIL / DAISHand its affiliates, the Haqqani Network, Al Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah and other foreign terrorist fighters. Acknowledging the support that terrorism derives in our region, we demand an immediate end to all forms of terrorism, as well as all support to it, including financing of terrorism. We recognize that terrorism is the biggest threat to peace, stability and cooperation in our region. We encourage the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan. We strongly call for concerted regional and international cooperation to ensure elimination of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, including dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the Heart of Asia region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terrorism." (WION)

Heart of Asia: Modi, Ghani launch double-barrelled attack on Pakistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict.&nbsp; 
 
The once-grand hilltop palace at the edge of Kabul was also the venue of Ghani`s cabinet meeting on Monday, the first such official gathering there in nearly a century. 
 
The building`s lion-headed buttresses are broken, its colonnades pockmarked by bullets, the metal sheets of its roof crumpled.&nbsp; 
Up to $20 million will be spent on restoring the former glory of the palace, built by Afghan King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, Ghani`s office said, calling the project a symbol of national pride. 
 
&quot;Today we are returning to our past... to set the foundation for our future,&quot; Ghani said at the inauguration of the project.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are determined to reconstruct the historical structure from the budget of the Afghan government.&quot; 
 
The palace fell victim to the carnage of the early 1990s as rival mujahideen groups fought for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime after Moscow withdrew its troops from Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
 
Despite Ghani`s rhetoric, some in Kabul were against the restoration, however -- albeit for different reasons. 
&quot;I think it is a waste of money,&quot; Daud Hotak, a Kabul shopkeeper, told AFP. 
&quot;It comes at a time when the economy is in free fall and security is deteriorating. That money could have been spent to create jobs as thousands of people flee the country.&quot; 
 
Omaid Sharifi, a civil society activist, also pleaded against the restoration, though from a different perspective.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
President <a href="https://twitter.com/ashrafghani">@ashrafghani</a> keep <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DarulamanPalace?src=hash">#DarulamanPalace</a> like this, let&#39;s remind our younger generation the brutality of war <a href="https://t.co/EzzYglMbhZ">pic.twitter.com/EzzYglMbhZ</a>
&mdash; Omaid Sharifi (@OmaidSharifi) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmaidSharifi/status/737168607227088896">May 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict. The once-grand hilltop palace at the edge of Kabul was also the venue of Ghani`s cabinet meeting on Monday, the first such official gathering there in nearly a century. The building`s lion-headed buttresses are broken, its colonnades pockmarked by bullets, the metal sheets of its roof crumpled. Up to $20 million will be spent on restoring the former glory of the palace, built by Afghan King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, Ghani`s office said, calling the project a symbol of national pride. "Today we are returning to our past... to set the foundation for our future," Ghani said at the inauguration of the project. "We are determined to reconstruct the historical structure from the budget of the Afghan government." The palace fell victim to the carnage of the early 1990s as rival mujahideen groups fought for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime after Moscow withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Despite Ghani`s rhetoric, some in Kabul were against the restoration, however -- albeit for different reasons. "I think it is a waste of money," Daud Hotak, a Kabul shopkeeper, told AFP. "It comes at a time when the economy is in free fall and security is deteriorating. That money could have been spent to create jobs as thousands of people flee the country." Omaid Sharifi, a civil society activist, also pleaded against the restoration, though from a different perspective. President @ashrafghani keep #DarulamanPalace like this, let's remind our younger generation the brutality of war pic.twitter.com/EzzYglMbhZ — Omaid Sharifi (@OmaidSharifi) May 30, 2016

Restoration starts at Kabul`s war-battered palace

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