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Women's Integrated Services Centre in kabul

Afghanistan: Women’s Integrated Services Centre To Be Set Up In Kabul

By LokMarg 25th June 2023

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) are partnering to set up a Women’s Integrated Services and Facilities Centre in Kabul, Khaama Press reported.

The UNHCR said the integrated services and facilities centre will support women-run businesses, training programs, and financial support to female entrepreneurs.
The initiative was launched with UNODC and AWCCI, aimed at supporting women-run businesses, training programs and more, UNHCR tweeted on Friday, according to Khaama Press.

Moreover, the organization said that the centre will help internally displaced people and Afghan refugees who have returned to the country.

The business centre for Afghan women will be established following the series of bans imposed by the Taliban regime restricting women and girls from having social and political engagements in Afghanistan for the past nearly two years, as per Khaama Press.

A large number of businesswomen and female entrepreneurs have been forced to stay at home since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

Whereas, a group of Afghan women entrepreneurs created a local market exclusively for women in Faizabad city of northeastern Badakhshan province which aimed at improving the economic well-being of needy families, according to Khaama Press. (ANI)

Explosion Near Afghanistan’s Kabul Kills 2

By LokMarg 27th March 2023

At least two persons were killed and 12 others have been injured in a heavy blast near Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry in downtown Kabul on Monday, according to a hospital run by an Italian NGO, reported Al Jazeera.

“We received some patients,” said Stefano Sozza of Italian NGO Emergency.
The NGO runs a surgical centre specialising in treating victims of the long-drawn war in downtown Kabul, the Al Jazeera said.

A tweet from the NGO said at least one child was among the injured in the incident that took place near the foreign ministry.

Afghanistan-based Tolo News also tweeted, “A blast happened on Foreign Ministry’s road near the Daudzai Trade Center in downtown Kabul this afternoon, eyewitnesses said, describing it as a heavy explosion.”

However, Taliban officials have not commented on the incident yet and none of the group has claimed responsibility for the attack either.

Monday’s incident took place around lunchtime, when the city is especially crowded as government office staff leave early for the day during the Islamic month of Ramzan.

More details are awaited.

Earlier in January 2023, a blast took place in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul in which 5 civilians were killed, while several others were injured.

It may be noted that the regional affiliate of the Islamic State, (IS-K) has increased its assaults since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Armed groups linked to the Afghan branch of the Islamic State have carried out bombings targeting ethnic Hazaras, Afghan Shias, Sufis, and others, killing and injuring hundreds.

A number of blasts have been reported in Afghanistan since the start of 2023. Several blasts were reported in the capital city this month including one near Kabul military airport. Moreover, a Chinese-owned hotel was also targeted in the heart of Kabul.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has been urging for the international recognition of its government – the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

According to some political analysts, the international world will not engage with the current Afghan government until the Islamic Emirate lifts its restrictions on women and reconsiders its position regarding the international community’s demands, according to Tolo News.

Girls and women were recently barred from attending their universities. Tolo News reported that they have been urging the interim government to reopen universities for them.

The ban on female schooling was met with condemnation both from inside Afghanistan and the international community.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, schooling above grade six for them has been closed. Later in December last year, girls and women were barred from going to universities and working with NGOs.

Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement for women and girls.

Further, the Taliban regime which took over Kabul in August last year has curtailed women’s rights and freedoms, with women largely excluded from the workforce due to the economic crisis and restrictions. (ANI)

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At Least 10 Dead, 8 Injured In Blast At Kabul Military Airport

By LokMarg 1st January 2023

At least 10 people were killed and eight others seriously injured in an explosion that rocked the Kabul military airport on Sunday, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson.

Abdul Nafee Takkur, a spokesman for the Taliban Interior Ministry, reported that an explosion caused injuries close to the military airport’s main gate in Kabul.
No one has taken responsibility for the attack as of yet.

This explosion comes three days after four people were injured in a blast that rocked Taluqan city, the capital of northern Takhar province on Wednesday.

Taliban security commander Abdul Mubin Safi in Takhar confirmed the explosion and stated that a bomb was placed under a local administrative staff’s desk, The Khaama Press reported.

In the past few months, the war-torn county has witnessed increasing security incidents including explosions. (ANI)

Taliban Says India May Restart 20 Projects In Afghanistan

By LokMarg 30th November 2022

Taliban on Wednesday said that India may restart 20 stalled projects in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MUDH) of Afghanistan said that the Indian charges d’affaires, Bharat Kumar, expressed India’s interest in improving relations and the resumption of Delhi’s projects in Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.

Kumar made the remarks in a meeting with the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Hamdullah Nomani.

The agency quoting the MUDH Ministry said, “It is expected that India will resume work on at least 20 projects in several provinces of the country. Kumar made the remarks in a meeting with the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Hamdullah Nomani, in Kabul.

“Projects they were implemented during the former government but were delayed due to political changes or other issues–they are now interested in resuming these projects, said Mohammad Kamal Afghan, a spokesman for the MUDH.

Economists said they believe that the implementation of the projects will facilitate job opportunities and boost development in the country, reported Tolo News.

“The resumption of these projects can also create job opportunities for the people and it can promote people’s income and drive Afghanistan out of political isolation,” said Darya Khan Baheer, an economist.

“The restart of these projects will decrease the level of poverty and unemployment,” said Nazkamir Ziarmal, an economist.

The Pajhwok Afghan News meanwhile said that Urban Development and Land Affairs Acting Minister Mawlavi Hamdullah Nomani had urged the Indian business community to invest in the urban development sector of Afghanistan.

On its Twitter handle, the Ministry wrote that acting Minister Nomani met the charge de affairs of the Indian embassy in Kabul. During this visit, the acting Minister Nomani said: “The Indian businessmen can invest in the urban and housing sector, especially in the New Kabul City project”.

Numani further added, “India implemented some projects in Afghanistan in the past, while some of them remained incomplete due to non-payment”. He asked the Indian government to clear its stance about the incomplete projects as well.

Locals believe that implementing the projects will facilitate job opportunities, decrease poverty and unemployment, and boost development in the country.

In addition, the visiting Indian envoy was requested to provide the Afghan nationals with scholarships for master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the civil and urban development field to increase Afghan engineers’ capacity further.

Charge de affairs Bharat Kumar said the ministry could share information about all the mentioned projects. He will convey the message to the Indian government to solve their problems and make all projects ready to use.

I have received some details about the New Kabul Project, and I would talk about them to Indian investors as well, Kumar said.

India had to stop all its projects once the Taliban took over the reins of power in August 2021. India then closed its embassy, which restarted functioning a few months ago. India still has security issues as several civilian projects, religious places, and the Russian embassy were targeted recently by suspected Islamic State terrorists.

India, before the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, had invested in developmental and capacity-building projects of around three billion dollars.

The significant projects India supported in Afghanistan were: The 42MW Salma Dam in Herat province was inaugurated in 2016 and is known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam. The other high-profile project was the 218-km Zaranj-Delaram highway built by the Border Roads Organisation. Zaranj is located close to Afghanistan’s border with Iran.

India built the Afghan Parliament in Kabul for $90 million. A block in the building is named after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In 2016, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the restored Stor Palace in Kabul, initially built in the late 19th century. India also constructed one of its leading hospitals in Kabul.

India, in the past, has been supporting in developing the human resources, giving training to professionals and offering a considerable number o scholarships and admissions to Afghan students to study in India.

The Indian projects are mostly people-centric in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. The projects were aimed at making Afghanistan a self-sufficient nation. India also operationalized air freight corridors and the Chabahar Port to enhance regional connectivity to Afghanistan.

India presently has been voicing deep concern at the unfolding humanitarian situation in Afghanistan; India donated consignments of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. These include 40,000 MTs of wheat, about 50 tonnes of medical aid consisting of essential lifesaving medicines, anti-TB medicines, 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine, essential medical/surgical items, and 28 tons of other disaster relief material. (ANI)

Taliban Denies Threat Of Terrorism Still Exists In Afghanistan

By LokMarg 24th September 2022

Responding to concerns expressed by countries at the 77th UNGA session over the terrorism threat still emanating from Afghanistan, the Taliban said that the allegations were baseless.

“These concerns, based on incorrect information and sources, are being brought up as the relevant parties are yet to hand over the seat of Afghanistan at the United Nations to its rightful legal and political owners, the Afghan government,” read a statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Some countries, including the United States and Pakistan, expressed concerns at the 77th session of UNGA that the threat of terrorism still exists in Afghanistan.

The Taliban further stated that if the group will be considered the legal and political owners of the Afghan government, it will open an opportunity to share ground realities of Afghanistan with the region directly and world countries and address any concerns.

“The Islamic Emirate once again rejects such assertions and reiterates its position to the world: the territory of Afghanistan will not be used against any other country, nor does any armed group currently have a presence in Afghanistan. Rather than raising unsubstantiated concerns and allegations, the world should engage positively with the Islamic Emirate by sharing their views and concerns directly, and not through the media or public statements,” added the statement.

The Taliban launched an offensive against the democratically elected Afghan government last year after the Biden administration announced the end of its military presence in Afghanistan.

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained complete control over the Afghan capital. Later in September, the Taliban declared a complete victory in Afghanistan and formed an interim government, which hasn’t yet been officially recognized by any country.

Since its ascent to power in Kabul, the Islamic group imposed policies severely restricting basic rights–particularly those of women and girls.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Taliban dismissed all women from leadership posts in the civil service and prohibited girls in most provinces from attending secondary school.

Taliban decrees prohibit women from travelling unless accompanied by a male relative and require women’s faces to be covered in public–including women TV newscasters.

The Taliban have also censored, limited critical reporting, and beaten journalists. Taliban forces have carried out revenge killings and enforced disappearances of former government officials and security force personnel. They have summarily executed people deemed affiliated with the Islamic State.

Armed groups linked to the Afghan branch of the Islamic State have carried out bombings targeting ethnic Hazaras, Afghan Shias, Sufis, and others, killing and injuring hundreds. (ANI)

India Condemns Terrorist Attack On Russian Embassy In Kabul

By LokMarg 6th September 2022

India on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Russian Embassy in Kabul.

The explosion that occurred on Monday near the Consular Department gate of the Russian Embassy, left at least two embassy staffers dead and several others wounded.
“India strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the Russian Embassy in Kabul yesterday. We convey our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and pray for early recovery of the injured,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

Monday’s explosion comes days after at least 20 people were killed in a blast that rocked a mosque in northwestern Afghanistan during Friday prayers. In recent months, a number of blasts have been reported in the capital city of Kabul, claiming dozens of innocent lives.

UN mission in Afghanistan on Monday condemned the blast outside the Russian Embassy and stressed the need for the Taliban to take steps to ensure the safety and security of the people as well as diplomatic missions.

“UNAMA condemns today’s explosion outside @RusEmbassyKabul. We express our condolences to the families of those killed and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured,” the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a tweet.

A Taliban spokesperson said that a comprehensive investigation had been launched into the matter and further measures will be taken to safeguard the Embassy and prevent such probable incidents in future.

“Our security has launched a comprehensive investigation, & will take further measures to safeguard the Embassy & prevent such probable incidents from hindering the Embassy’s activities,” Taliban spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi wrote on Twitter.

Balkhi added that the Taliban-appointed government in Afghanistan has close relations with the Russian Federation and will not allow the enemies to sabotage relations between both countries with such negative actions.

After Monday’s explosion near Russian Embassy in Kabul, Taliban-appointed Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In a phone call with Lavrov, Muttaqi assured that special attention will be given to blast in front of the Russian embassy. He ensured Lavrov the security of this embassy, TOLO news reported quoting the Taliban spokesperson.

This series of blasts comes on the heels of one year of the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan. Rights groups said the terror outfit had broken multiple pledges to respect human and women’s rights.

After capturing Kabul in August last year, the Islamic authorities have imposed severe restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights, suppressed the media, and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and summarily executed critics and perceived opponents. (ANI)