Editorial

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are strained more often than now. There are always multiple excuses and problems to spoil the ties. Ranging from cross-point fires and trade hurdles to visa issuance difficulties, there is a myriad of issues between the two neighbors. The problem of visa issuance at the …

According to the World Bank (WB), Afghanistan’s economy grew by an estimated 2.9 percent in 2019, driven mainly by strong agricultural growth following recovering from drought. Released last month, the WB report stated that with the receded drought impacts if private sector confidence further improves following the conclusion of the …

The long-overdue final returns of the Afghan presidential polls – conducted four months back – are still not unveiled but the electoral management bodies have informed of making a decisive announcement in the next couple of days. Last year’s election has been marred by a myriad of fraud allegations with …

Even as the United States pursues a deal with the Taliban, violence continues to rage in Afghanistan and the warring parties take pride in flexing military muscles while victimizing Afghans. According to Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) figures, enemy-initiated attacks in Afghanistan during the fourth quarter of 2019 …

Following month-long rifts, the Wolesi Jirga finally approved the draft national budget for the current fiscal year on Jan 22, only to spark fierce reactions from disgruntled Afghans in different provinces – including Ghor and Wardak among others – due to what they call ‘unfairness and imbalance’ in allocated resources to the …

You have the right to speak. It’s not what you say—it’s the way that you say it. Your right to express your opinion is protected no matter what beliefs you hold. What matters is how you use that right. If you organize a protest that causes serious disruption, the government …

President Ashraf Ghani’s administration always boasts of disbanding parallel and similar organizations in order to strengthen efficiency and cost-effectiveness when it comes to bureaucratic affairs. But the current dilemma of having two peace bodies with the same mission proves otherwise. While the High Peace Council (HPC) – which was established …

The abrupt arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), along with his six colleagues stoked political howls of protest both inside and outside of Pakistan. Pashteen has been accused of “hate speech” and sedition and remanded to judicial custody for 14-days. Surprisingly, the reason cited for …

While efforts for inking a peace agreement and observing a ceasefire with the Taliban by the US are on, the constant victimization of Afghan mere mortals is still raging on. A recent horrible incident that happened in northern Balkh province has resulted in the killing of seven people from a …

Afghanistan already has a host of viruses to battle against – ranging from the Polio to the Congo virus – and its deficient and scanty healthcare system cannot afford new infections at a time when a new strain of coronavirus is making headlines and spreading panic around the world. According …