Afghanistan News & Discussion

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 10 Jun 2013 05:06

sushupti

why give publicity to those retards?

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 14 Jun 2013 05:20

Afghan students flock to India's universities
Low cost of living, easy-to-obtain visas, and cultural similarities attract Afghans to Indian universities.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 17 Jun 2013 22:36

This is what winning looks like:
http://www.vice.com/vice-news/this-is-w ... ike-part-1

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 02 Jul 2013 20:15

Apologies if already posted.
India says it recognizes Taliban’s role in Afghanistan peace process

India on Tuesday said that it recognized a role for the Taliban in the peace process in Afghanistan, a departure from its earlier position that shunned a role for the Sunni hardline group. External affairs minister Salman Khurshid said India supported the efforts made by the government of war-torn Afghanistan to establish a dialogue with all armed opposition groups, “including the Taliban”.

“This dialogue must involve all sections of the Afghan society and armed opposition groups, including the Taliban,” Khurshid said, though he warned that the “reconciliation process must not undermine the legitimacy of the Afghan state and government and the political, social and economic progress witnessed in Afghanistan over the past decade”.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 02 Jul 2013 21:27

Weh Afghanistan was under FSU occupation there were numerous stories of poppy cultivation form there which was feeding the drugs culture of Europe. Then the 'good' Taliban came and stopped it. Later after 9/11 US has taken over the country. Now we don't hear any whines about poppy cultivation. There were NGOs promoting growing grapes etc. So what's going on? Is it not a problem anymore.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Jul 2013 08:45

Agnimitra wrote:Afghan students flock to India's universities
Low cost of living, easy-to-obtain visas, and cultural similarities attract Afghans to Indian universities.

And, India provides scholarship for 1000 Afghan students in its universities.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Jul 2013 11:07

Delivering Mail in Kabul where Streets have no Name - AFP, The Hindu

In Kabul, many streets have no name and houses often have no number, meaning that postmen already braving the constant threat of suicide bombings must play detective to deliver mail.

Mohammad Rahim makes his rounds on the tattered, hilly streets of the Afghan capital riding an old bicycle. After 10 years on the job he is undaunted by even the vaguest addresses on letters.

“Here we have a letter for a man who lives near Doctor Hashmat’s house,” Mr. Rahim (46) says. “I don’t know the address, so let’s see, how can we find the right place?”

His only clues are the addressee Mohammad Naeem, the doctor’s name and instructions on the back of the envelope saying “Kart-e-Sakhi hilltop, behind the agricultural ministry”.

Wearing a black fur hat, blue jeans and a violet T-shirt, he cuts a familiar figure and is often recognised by Kabul residents. He sets off from the neighbourhood post office to start asking people for help.

“Brother, can you tell me — where is Doctor Hashmat’s house?” Mr. Rahim shouts at a shopkeeper.

“Go up the hill, and turn right,” comes the reply, so Mr. Rahim sets off up the rocky road.

Further on, another man tells him: “Turn right and it is the third house on the left.”

After waiting outside the gate, a woman in her 40s comes out: Mohammad Naeem’s wife, who takes the letter for her husband.

“We have received letters from the U.S., Canada, Germany and Pakistan, and the postman always brings them safely and on time,” she says.

Mr. Rahim delivers dozens of letters every day across west and southwest Kabul, a city reduced almost to ruins in the brutal 1992-96 civil war.

The Kabul population has boomed to five million as people have flooded in seeking employment and an escape from the fight against the Taliban, but much of the recent expansion is illegal, with many houses and shacks built on contested land or without planning permission.

But the days of confusion over addresses could soon be over, as last month the Communications Ministry signed an agreement with the city authorities to create a comprehensive new address system.

All streets and houses will be coded, numbered and mapped in a two-year project that the government hopes to expand to other cities.

The scheme — which will use global positioning system (GPS) surveying — should help Mr. Rahim, and fellow postmen such as Khan Agha (42) who works in a post office in the central Shar-e-Naw district.

For now Mr. Agha, who first started delivering mail 22 years ago, says the chaotic street mapping makes it “the most difficult job in the world”.

The job is even more challenging for Mr. Agha, who lost his right eye when he was serving as a soldier more than 20 years ago, another victim of the fighting that has battered Afghanistan for decades. “One day in the fighting, I was shot with a bullet in the back of my head and the bullet came out of my right eye socket.”

Admitting that the injury continues to trouble him, Mr. Agha scrabbles through a huge pile of mail on the post office floor, looking for what needed to be delivered to his area.

“We are going to take a letter to a Mrs. Barbara in Sherpoor sent in from Germany,” he says.

As so often, the letter has only the district name without any house or street number.

After a search lasting nearly two hours and asking 12 different people, including the local baker, he finally finds the small lane where the intended recipient works in a health centre.

Such hard work is not well-rewarded in Afghanistan, which has 900 postmen nationwide with 100 in Kabul.

Mr. Agha earns just 5,000 Afghanis ($90) a month. Barely enough, he says, to feed his family of eight.

But he is hopeful that soon most streets and houses in Kabul will have a proper name and number.

“This is a good move by ministry to create a new postal system,” he says. “With the completion of this project, we could do our job more easily.” — AFP

No West Asian nation has a system of delivering mail at home. I am reminded of a funny story of how telephones were introduced for the first time in Saudi Arabia. The ulema objected to the phones claiming that women at home could be contacted by men from outside. The Saudi businessman who wanted to introduce the telephone system promised to the King that he would not install telephones in residences but only in offices. Soon enough, most residences had their front room converted into an office !

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 08 Aug 2013 12:31

X-post from TSP and Indo-Afghan thread:

What is behind this "Great Afghanistan Movement" (GAM) and PakhtunTV?

"GAM: Birth and Death of Pakistan"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoELwPhnal0

member_26255 · Post by **member_26255** » 10 Aug 2013 20:28

Tallel,Deepel Sweetel friends killed in the strategic depth area

KABUL: Three Chinese citizens were found murdered in an apartment in Afghanistan's capital, according to a statement issued by China's embassy in Kabul carried on a Chinese state-run news agency whereas two others were reported as missing.

The statement said that the five were all self-employed business people and the two women were killed accidentally when they stopped at the apartment while criminals were inside, the agency reported.

Police said that the murder victims included two women and a man, who were shot late on Thursday along with their Afghan guard, adding that their deaths were only reported by a neighbour on Friday.

The identity of the victims and motive for the killings were also unclear.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack though both the Taliban and criminal groups have been involved in the kidnapping and killing of foreign nationals in Afghanistan in the past.

Earlier the embassy had said two Chinese were missing after the murder but it was later quoted by China's state news agency Xinhua as saying that one has been found and taken to a safe place. A search was going on for the other missing person.

Afghan officials did not respond to calls on Saturday, the last day of the three-day Eidul Fitr public holiday.

The Chinese embassy also did not respond to repeated calls or email.

Pictures of the crime scene showed a cluttered double bed with pink pillows in a dingy room, with bare walls and very little furniture. The worn red carpet was also littered with items like clothes and what appeared to be a power cable.

This IMO is a big development in case it is done by Talibs since I used to think that Chinese had good relations with them.

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 18 Aug 2013 17:04

Apologies if already posted.

Karzai Seeks Support for Sayyaf for Presidency: NCA

The National Coalition of Afghanistan (NCA) revealed on Wednesday that a meeting was held at the Presidential Palace last week, under the chairmanship of President Hamid Karzai, in which Abdurrab Rasoul Sayyaf was put forth as the favored candidate for next spring's election.

The meeting was attended by Marshal Fahim, First Vice-President; Atta Muhammad Noor, Governor of Balkh province; Abdurrab Rasoul Sayyaf, head of Dawat-e-Islami Party; and Muhammad Ismail, Minister of Water and Energy.

Additionally, the President's office confirmed the meeting, but said that President Karzai has not announced his support for any specific candidate as of yet.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wiki on Sayyaf says the following.

Sayyaf is an ethnic Pashtun. He is fluent in Arabic and holds a degree in religion from Kabul University and a masters from the illustrious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He has been described as "a big, beefy man with fair skin and a thick gray beard." Sayyaf is reported to be approximately six foot, three inches in height and weigh 250 pounds.

Sayyaf was a member of the Afghan-based Ikhwan al-Muslimin, founded in 1969 by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Dr. Burhanuddin Rabbani and having strong links to the original and much larger Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Sayyaf fought against Soviet occupying forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s, and was generously financed, by Saudi Arabia, seemingly due to his close religious affinities with the Wahhabist Saudi Royal and religious establishment and abovementioned excellent command of the Arabic language. During the jihad against the Soviet Union and its Afghan allies, he formed a close relationship with Osama bin Laden.

During the post-war period, Sayyaf retained his training camps, using them for militarily training and indoctrinating new recruits to fight in Islamic-backed conflicts such as Chechnya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the Southern Philippines. Also, in these camps, Sayyaf trained and mentored the soon-to-be-infamous, Kuwaiti-born, future Al-Qaeda operative and senior commander, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, after being introduced by the latter's brother, Zahid, during the Afghan Jihad in 1987.

Sayyaf claimed and claims he is a vituperative opponent of the like-minded Taliban movement, which is the reason he officially joined the Northern Alliance, despite his aforementioned religious and ideological affinities with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Sayyaf is said to have helped the Arab suicide assassins that killed anti-Taliban leader Ahmad Shah Massoud during their preparations, raising suspicion he was involved in killing Massoud

So is he the face of tomorrows "good taliban".

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Aug 2013 01:04

Gunjur

Relate the death oh the three Chinese yo the elders message yo Dalrymple!

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 19 Aug 2013 15:51

About fair skimmed Sayyaf, the post 26/11 war on terror does not seem to target him in spite of Osama links either by US or front line ally on terror pukis or Talibs.

On the other hand the fair skinned Sayyef planned assassination of Ahmad Shah Masood of Northern Alliance. So now in Afghanistan the 'bad taliban' is bombed out and there is no leadership of Ahmed Shah Masoood either.

So what is this legitimacy of 'good taliban' now in Afghanistan. If Indians plan to bomb terrorists in Afghanistan the way Taliban are attacking Indians, will remaining few American forces help out Indians or oppose? Even when there are many US troops US seem to not bother 'good taliban'. Now just good taliban in paki and Afghanistan are not bombed out.

More importantly, any info about Northern Alliance post Ahmed Shah Masood leadership?

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 19 Aug 2013 16:55

ramana wrote:Gunjur

Relate the death oh the three Chinese yo the elders message yo Dalrymple!

Yes, maybe it is "heating up" for chinese now.
3 Chinese citizens killed, 2 missing in Afghanistan: Chinese embassy

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 20 Aug 2013 15:58

Debate on RajyaSabha TV slightly date (Jan 2013). Here the former R&AW chief says that taliban would never like to share power in a coalition with "liberal" forces at all.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 20 Aug 2013 16:01

the chinese killing looks like a raid on red lips parlour

krishna_krishna · Post by **krishna_krishna** » 27 Aug 2013 07:39

Excellent insights by someone I respect:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UOPGxPn2Epg

Also see below from same conference insights into zero option that people thought massa would take(FYI guy in grey suit standing with gang is the embassy staff good for nothing thinking that it is fashion parade for important guys to stand on the side with nothing to contribute to this important discussion
):

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OxwNJafLtcc

member_22872 · Post by **member_22872** » 05 Sep 2013 18:59

X-posting from TIRP:
Live! Indian author Sushmita Banerjee shot dead by militants in Afghanistan

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 05 Sep 2013 19:20

It fits the pattern of bad Taliban. Most likely they are leaving a calling card of things to come once they get pwoer.

Sayyaf if he gets the top job has the credentials to cleanup.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 05 Sep 2013 20:30

Except for the BBC, not really a story anywhere about this heinous killing.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 05 Sep 2013 20:43

For one the talibs have shown their true colors again.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 06 Sep 2013 04:54

TOLOnews 23 June 2013 Mutasim Agha Jan's Exclusive Interview / گفتگوی ویژه با معتصم آغا

TOLOnews Exclusive: Taliban Quetta Shura member and its former Finance Minister Mutasim Agha Jan discusses about the peace process, Taliban regime and more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snZrqk9SnYY

This Mutasim Agha Jan supposedly escaped an assassination attempt in TSP and fled to Turkey. That suggests a couple of things:

1. Afghanistan is actively trying to internally split the Taliban against TSP. Recently in an interview with the same channel, Amrullah Saleh also spoke about "national unity" including favorable members of the Taliban.
2. Turkey is indeed closely connected with the TSP deep state and its 'hool' relationship with Unkil, and is the 'upline' Ashraf node to which Jan went when he got into a disagreement with ISI footsoldiers.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 06 Sep 2013 08:48

Why are we horrified by Taliban pasand candidates or leaders in Afghanistan. Almost everyone who is a potential leader believes in ideology similar to Taliban. There no hidden Ghaffar Khan or Zahir shah in the field.
It is a backward and extremely conservative society playing by its own rule and anyone who expects otherwise is expecting a miracle.
Our eventual Target should be to have India extend upto Hindukush mountain range which is natural border for India on the west.

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 17 Sep 2013 20:38

Afghanistan presidential race kicks off

Afghanistan's presidential race kicked off Monday as election authorities began accepting the nominations of would-be candidates, the start of a wide-open race whose winner will oversee the final phases of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops amid a relentless Taliban insurgency.

The first day of registration drew ... no one.

No major candidates are expected to submit their nominations until closer to the Oct. 6 deadline, part of a waiting game to see how the field shapes up.

The election, set for April 5, will determine who succeeds incumbent President Hamid Karzai, who has in some form or shape led Afghanistan since the Taliban government was ousted in the American-led invasion in 2001. Karzai, who will have served two five-year terms, is barred from running for a third.

There are no clear favorites in the race, but speculation in recent days has focused on Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. Rassoul is a former national security adviser with a medical degree who has tended to stay out of the limelight and could end up being a consensus candidate among some of the many political factions in this nation of 31 million.

Other potential candidates include: Abdullah Abdullah, an opposition leader who lost to Karzai in 2009; Ashraf Ghani, a well-known academic and former finance minister with a reputation as a technocrat who also lost the last election; Hanif Atmar, a former interior minister who has grown critical of Karzai; and Farooq Wardak, the education minister who has been involved in efforts to pursue peace talks with Taliban insurgents.

Some speculation also has focused on Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf, an influential lawmaker with a long history as a jihadist and allegations of past links to Arab militants including Osama bin Laden. He would likely be the most controversial candidate, at least among Afghanistan's foreign allies.

Gurus: for an election to be held next april, why are they going for nominations so early??

EDIT: Wiki on Zalmai Rassoul says the following

belonging to Mohammadzai tribe (of the Zirak branch of the Durrani Confederacy)

He has over 30 publications in European and American medical journals.

Since 1998, Rassoul devoted his full attention to the convening of the Emergency Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) as the director of the Secretariat of Mohammad Zaher Shah, the former King of Afghanistan.

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 07 Oct 2013 22:51

Apologies if already posted

List of Registered Afghan Presidential Tickets

The following candidates are listed in the chronological order of their registration:

1- Bismillah Sher
First vice president, Abdul Karim Ahmadyar
Second vice president, Sultan Hamid Sultani

2- Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
First vice president, Mohammad Khan
Second vice president, Mohammad Mohaqiq

3- Fazal Karim Najimi
First vice president, Mohammad Sabir Tamkeen
Second vice president, Susan Hajati

4- Abdul Rabb Rasul Sayyaf
First vice president, Mohammad Ismail Khan
Second vice president, Abdul Wahab Urfan

5- Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai
First vice president, Abdullah Bromand
Second vice president, Abed Nazar

6- Qutbuddin Hilal
First vice president, Enayatullah Enayat
Second vice president, Mohammad Ali Nabizada

7- Abdul Rahim Wardak
First vice president, Shah Abdul Ahad Afzali
Second vice president, Sayed Hussian Anwari

8- Del Agha Kohdamani
First vice president, Zalmai Hamraz
Second vice president, Toorpakai Azizi

9- Sayed Ishaq Gailani
First vice president, Zakaria Noori
Second vice president, Seema Ismati

10- Sarwar Ahmadzai
First vice president, Abdul Rahman
Second vice president, Kabir Quraishi

11- Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai
First vice president, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum
Second vice president, Sarwar Danish

12- Dr. Zalmai Rassoul
First vice president, Ahmad Zia Massoud (???)
Second vice president, Habiba Surabi

13- Sardar Muhammad Nadir Naeem
First vice president, Taj Mohammad Akbar
Second vice president, Azizullah Puya

14- Hamidullah Qaderi
First vice president, Mohammad Arif Baraki
Second vice president, Humaira Haqmal

15- Daoud Sultanzoy
First vice president, Ahmad Saeedi
Second vice president, Kazima Mohaqiq

16- Qayum Karzai (isn't he brother of hamid karzai???)
First vice president, Wahidullah Shahrani
Second vice president, Ibrahim Qasmi

17- Gul Agha Sherzai
First vice president, Sayed Hussain Alimi Balkhi
Second vice president, Mohammad Hashim Zarea

18- Azizullah Ludin
First vice president, Abdul Rahim Karimi
Second vice president, Hamidullah Rahimi

19- Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi
First vice president, Hashmatullah Mujadidi
Second vice president, Ismail Qasimyar

20- Hedayat Amin Arsala
First vice president, Gen. Khudaidad
Second vice president, Safia Seddiqi

21- Salman Ali Doostzadeh
First vice president, Mohammad Yousuf Amin
Second vice president, Aziza Rahban Wardak

22- Farooq Azam
First vice president, Abdul Ghani Asalati
Second vice president, Ahmad Shah Payeezi

23- Khadija Ghaznawi
First vice president, Mohammad Qasim Fayezai
Second vice president, Khair Mohammad Barez

24- Nadir Shah Ahmadzai
First vice president, Faiz Mohammad Daqiq
Second vice president, Qadam Ali Khadim

25- Abdul Hadi Dabeer
First vice president, Sayed Ahmadullah Padshah
Second vice president, Mawlawi Nesar Ahmad Khair Andish

26- Noor Rahman Liwal
First vice president, Ahamad Jan Nazar
Second vice president, Rafiullah

27- Dr. Dawar Nadin
First vice president, Mohammad Hassan Safi
Second vice president, Husai Andar

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 Oct 2013 05:48

Gunjur, 'Yes' to the two questions you asked above. Ahmed Zia Massoud is indeed the brother of the Lion of Panjsher. Qayyum Karzai is probably the half-brother of Hamid Karzai and probably the full brother of Ahmed Karzai who was assassinated.

habal · Post by **habal** » 19 Oct 2013 13:08

a lot closer to Syria and Iran than it is to Afghanistan. Maybe setup to try something sneaky in Syria or Iran.

US secures Romanian air base for Afghan pullout

http://news.yahoo.com/us-secures-romani ... 33049.html

"The United States agreed a deal Friday with Romania allowing use of an air base on the Black Sea as a transit point for American troops departing Afghanistan, officials said.

The agreement allows the US to shift its flight operations to Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base from an airport in Kyrgyzstan, which charged steep rental fees and had ruled out a lease beyond July 2014."

Ah, those evil Kyrgyzstanis, using "American philosophy" on Americans!

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 22 Oct 2013 06:18

The Russians forced Kyrgyzstan to close the US base

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 08 Nov 2013 21:08

http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/ ... world&_r=0

A Conversation With: Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha
By BETWA SHARMA

Having occurred amid growing fears about the security situation after the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, the attempted bombing of the Indian consulate in Jalalabad province on Aug. 3 ignited frantic speculation about whether India planned to exit in the face of danger or stay and deepen its footprint.

Indian officials stationed here live with the constant threat of attack. Four officials were killed in a 2008 attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, which was blamed on the Haqqani network, a Taliban faction closely associated with Pakistan’s spy service, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence.

Despite these risks, many officials believe India has to stay in Afghanistan to counter Pakistan’s influence in the country, and prevent the nightmare scenario of its spies or army using the country as a backyard to train militants for launching attacks on Indian soil after the U.S. military pullout at the end of 2014.

At the helm of India’s operations in Afghanistan is Ambassador Amar Sinha, an economics graduate who has served in the Indian Foreign Service for more than three decades. He travels with a bulletproof jacket in his car but laughs and refuses to say how often he uses it.

A week after the Jalalabad bombing, Mr. Sinha said in an interview that India had no plans to leave Afghanistan, and that it would continue to focus on expanding its soft power through economic activities and aid in development and education.

In a conversation over tea and dry fruits at his house in Kabul, Mr. Sinha talked about India’s future in Afghanistan and the safety of its citizens living here.

Q.
There has been concern that there will be a lot of chaos and a bad security situation after the American withdrawal next year, and Indians could be increasingly targeted. Are these concerns valid?

A.
Indians are under threat even today. So, I don’t think it’s going to substantially increase after the withdrawal.

A lot of Indians also work with American companies on the bases, which we don’t even know. There are many more with international organizations. So if their operations get reduced, the number of Indians will reduce here. Of course, the embassy will continue.

But this scenario that it will all become chaos and unmanageable is an element of politics and competition. I personally don’t subscribe and don’t think the Government of India subscribes to the scenario that it will be doomsday.

Q.
Is India following the wait and watch approach?

A.
No, we don’t have a wait and watch approach. Wait and watch for what? We keep the situation under constant review. For instance, at the Salma dam (a hydroelectric dam being funded by the Indian government in Herat province), the areas where we are investing and where we have presence and people — if the security situation deteriorates, of course it will impact the presence of the Indians.

So then we’ll have to review what do we do. Do we enhance security, do we reduce the personnel? So there is no clear-cut decision. But it’s not like with the next bomb blast we all just disappear. I don’t think that’s the policy. So we are not following wait and watch.

Q.
There has been a lot of speculation on whether India’s economic footprint in Afghanistan will increase or decrease after the American withdrawal. Will it increase or decrease?

A.
One footprint is what you create through aid. The government has already said that we will remain committed. And we don’t have an option of walking away from here. So we will definitely remain committed.

Now, how the climate evolves — that will decide whether private investments also come. We do see a lot of people in trade but we could like to see this graduate into investments.

Q.
The $2 billion that was pledged in terms of aid. How much of that has been spent?

A.
Well this is an ongoing thing. It was not said that $2 billion would be spent in one year. But all these projects I think are close to $1 billion. Some projects like the parliament house, which is going on, the Salma dam, these are expensive projects so by the time they will finish we would have consumed a substantial amount of more money. And of course, if the funds are available then it is for the Afghan government to tell us what their priorities are and we will be happy to do those things for them.

Q.
Could the aid exceed $2 billion?

A.
I guess so. I don’t think there is a cap.

Q.
Has it been difficult to get private investors from India here?

A.
Let’s put it this way that it has been very easy to get investors to Afghanistan. We have had a stream of delegations. Both FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) are doing an absolute fantastic job. In terms of interest, it has been very easy to get people. Actual investments, a few have bid. They are looking at textiles, they are looking at cement, cashmere, marble mining and food processing. Our role is to facilitate their interaction and then help them find reliable partners.

Q.
What does Pakistan make of India’s economic presence?

A.
Pakistan’s policy seems to be guided by a sense of paranoia about India, about our presence, about our economic development assistance, and our commercial presence. And I guess they are on a completely wrong track.

Q.
Do you feel scared living here?

A.
No. See, we live under constant threat and we know what is the source of the threat. We have intelligence; we talk with the local government, which is very, very cooperative. So, yes there is threat but that does not mean we live under fear. And definitely the Indian embassy will not like to bunker itself down because that beats the very purpose of our being here. Because that is the cheapest victory to give to your enemy.

But do I go and play golf? No, obviously I will not take undue risks.

Q.
That enemy being?

A.
That enemy being a different ideology and vision for Afghanistan.

(The interview has been lightly edited and condensed.)

Betwa Sharma is a freelance journalist based in New Delhi.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 14 Nov 2013 00:34

Shrinking Numbers and Growing Persecution Threaten Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan

Community leaders of these two religious minorities estimate that 35 years ago around 100,000 of them lived in Afghanistan. After three decades of fleeing from conflict to countries like India, Canada and Germany, only 3,000 are left. The majority of the 300 families remaining are Sikhs.

Mr. Sharma had also left with his family to seek asylum in India, but he returned to Afghanistan after failing to make a living in their new home. Every month, he remits a big part of his earnings to his family in India.

Most of the Hindus and Sikhs who remain in Afghanistan are weary of religious discrimination and absence of economic opportunities, and they are hoping to leave their country as anxieties grow about their prospects after American troops withdraw from Afghanistan at the end of 2014. In September, for instance, President Hamid Karzai had to issue a legislative decree to reserve a single seat for Sikh and Hindu Afghan nationals in the lower house of Parliament after lawmakers refused to do so.

Under the Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001, Hindus had to identify themselves by yellow markings on their forehead or wearing a red cloth.One man recalled that Hindus with a yellow dot could get away without a beard but that terrible retribution was unleashed on a Muslim who shaved. Another said that he was forced to convert to Islam by the Taliban and marry a Muslim woman because he was seen speaking to her in a shop

But a few like Balram Dhameja, the caretaker of a Hindu temple in Kabul, came back with their daughters and wives. Mr. Dhameja returned to Afghanistan with his family after 14 years because he couldn’t make a living in India.

The former police officer recalled fleeing to India in 1992 along with at least 15,000 other Hindu families. “It was easy to get refugee status then because the Indian government responded to it like an emergency,” he said. “The hard part was finding jobs to stay on and make a good life.”

Refugees say that India is slow to grant them citizenship, and without it, they have a difficult time finding work. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of January 2013, there were 10,046 Afghan refugees and 958 Afghan asylum seekers living in India.

For over a decade, Mr. Dhameja sold tea in Faridabad on the outskirts of Delhi, but the family of five found it hard to cope with the expenses. In 2006, the rent of their apartment had gone up to 3,000 rupees ($50 at current exchange rates), from 500 rupees in 1992. They left in 2006 after his tea shop was demolished in a government raid on illegal constructions.

But in the long-term, Mr. Dhameja said he wanted to head back to India because he saw no future for his children in Afghanistan. He was trying to save money to send his 18-year-old son to find work in Germany in the next few months.

Fearing harassment, the majority of Hindu and Sikh families don’t send their children to schools in Afghanistan, especially the girls. They have for a long time demanded exclusive schools to be set up for their children.

Even now when the country had more schools, Ms. Honaryar said that Hindus and Sikhs did not take education seriously. Instead, they had their girls married off by the age of 14, often driven by fear for their security, and sent their young boys to work.

arun · Post by **arun** » 14 Nov 2013 07:47

Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, reportedly a close confidant of Mullah Omar, granted visa to visit India for attending the Think2013 meet organised in Goa by Tehelka:

Intel agencies facilitated Taliban leader's visa, says Home Ministry

Meanwhile our Finance Minister creates a stir by attending the Taliban infested Goa Meeting:

Cricket, politics and a Taliban twist

PC defied Sonia diktat by attending Goa meet

arun · Post by **arun** » 14 Nov 2013 08:13

Brahma Chellaney on Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef’s India visit:

Chidambaram meeting Taliban leader shows India hasn’t learned from its mistakes

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 17 Nov 2013 02:23

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/world ... .html?_r=0

Attack in Kabul. It does seem as if US is not gonna stay in Afghanistan after 2014.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Nov 2013 06:45

Afghanistan woos Indian investors - Business Line

Pointing out that nothing happens without taking risk, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India Shaida Mohammod Abdali on Saturday invited Indian businesses to look at investment opportunities in his country. “Your businesses are most welcome in Afghanistan. Afghan people want you. Afghan businesses want to have joint ventures with India. They see the long term interest of the two countries, the shared benefits and cost effectiveness.

Afghan law protects them. Definitely you will have some risk. Without risk nothing can happen in life,” the Ambassador said at an address organised by the Press Club of India. The envoy added that the Afghan Government has a special protection unit for investments there. “We always talk about a red carpet in the case of India in terms of businesses and presence. It is because of the cordial and deep relationship that we have,” he added. The invitation comes less than 48 hours before a major international conference on investment opportunities in Afghanistan opens here.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 17 Nov 2013 08:57

RSoami wrote:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/world ... .html?_r=0

Attack in Kabul. It does seem as if US is not gonna stay in Afghanistan after 2014.

Shame on me if the answer to my question is elementary AfPak 101 which I should be aware of, but anyway, here it is. TSP keeps complaining that US is "abandoning" them by tucking their tails and running away. On the other hand, TSP, through its Talibunnies undertake these attacks as a way of signalling to US to leave and not think of having a military presence. One stance of TSP seems contradictory with the other. What am I missing?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Nov 2013 19:34

CRamS wrote:Shame on me if the answer to my question is elementary AfPak 101 which I should be aware of, but anyway, here it is. TSP keeps complaining that US is "abandoning" them by tucking their tails and running away. On the other hand, TSP, through its Talibunnies undertake these attacks as a way of signalling to US to leave and not think of having a military presence. One stance of TSP seems contradictory with the other. What am I missing?

CRS, I always believed that the Pakistani complaint of 'US abandoning them' is all completely hogwash. TSP is putting on a face of injured innocence here. Let us look at the instances when TSP made such an accusation and whether there is any truth in it. The first was after the defeat in 1965. Whatever be its proclivities and preferences, the US was unwilling to be blatantly associated with naked aggression by Pakistan. TSP wanted to act clever becuse it needed a reason to convince its citizens that the 1:10 ratio of the martial PA was indeed intact and so it blamed the US for 'not coming to its aid' at the most crucial time. The US was careful after the Bay of Pigs and the 1962 Chinese aggression against India. Then, 1971. Again, the US might have taken a different stance outwardly but it certainly knew that a genocide was going on in East Pakistan and it was only a matter of time before that part seceeded. TSP again wanted the US to stand by its naked genocide. USS Enterprise is a different issue and by that time Bangladesh was a reality. Then, in 1991 when there was yet another divorce. In fact, this time Pakistan welcomed the divorce, IMHO because it had decided to let loose a reign of terror on India and did not want the US to be around. It had been supplied with huge US arms, it had thousands of unemployed and battle-hardened mujahideen well versed in guerrilla tactics etc. It was [overly] confident of inflicting a thousand cuts. Besides, it knew that the US had given time only until 1989 for its nuclear programme to prosper. The US could have been dangerous to be around after 1989. And, TSP was confident of having its compliant mujahideen leadership in Kabul anyway. I would say that 1991 was a mutually consented divorce, if at al and certainly Pakistan welcomed it.

The same issues play up once again now. TSP wants the Chinese to extend there sphere of influence over Afghanistan and dislodge the US. The presence of US in the region is a hindrance to future TSP plans in the region in collusion with PRC. But, it serves Pakistani diplomacy to keep shifting all the blame on the USA just as it does with us. That puts the US on the defensive, creates a bad impression about the US amongst its rage-boy masses and offers a leverage to milk the US more when need arises by citing this 'US abandons Pakistan' theory, something which even Hillary Clinton bought.

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 19 Nov 2013 20:43

Apologies if already posted.

Final list of Presidential candidates

1) Qutbuddin Helal: Engineering and military background. Formerly a leader of Heszb-i-Islami.
First VP- Inayatullah Inayatas and Second VP- Mohammad Ali Nabizada.

2) Sardar Mohammad Naeem: IT expert. Nephew of President Daoud Khan.
First VP- Naeem Taj Muhammad Akbar and Second VP- Azizullah Pooya.

3) Gul Agha Sherzai: Former Governor of Kandahar and Nangarhar.
First VP- Sayed Hussain Alimi Balkhi and Second VP- Mohammad Hashim Zarea.

4) Qayoum Karzai: Older brother of President Karzai and former MP.
First VP- Wahidullah Shahrani and Second VP- Mohammad Noor Akbari.

5) Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf: Religious scholar and member of Northern Alliance.
First VP- Mohammad Ismail khan and Second VP- Abdul Wahab Orfan.

6) Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai: Former Finance Minister and head of Kabul University.
First VP- General Abdul Rashid Dostum and Second VP- Sarwar Danish.

7) Abdullah Abdullah: Educated in medicine. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
First VP- Mohammad Khan and Second VP- Mohammad Mohaqiq.

8 Abdul Rahim Wardak: Former Jihadi leader, Military Academy teacher and Minister of Defense.
First VP- Shah Abdul Ahad Afzali and Second VP- Sayed Hussain Anwari.

9) Hedayat Amin Arsala: Worked for the World Bank, as Minister of Finance and then Karzai's VP.
First VP- Gen. Khudaidad and Second VP- Safia Seddiqi.

10) Zalmai Rassoul: Educated in medicine, was Minister of Civil Aviation then Foreign Affairs.
First VP- Ahmad Zia Massoud and Second VP- Habiba Surabi.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 20 Nov 2013 01:21

U.S. denies agreement reached on final text of Afghan security pact
http://news.yahoo.com/u-afghanistan-agr ... 04767.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it was still working through details of a security pact with Afghanistan, denying the two countries have agreed on the final text of an agreement that will determine future U.S. troop presence in the country beyond 2014.Afghan spokesman Aimal Faizi said earlier the sides had agreed on a final version of the bilateral security pact that will be submitted to Afghan tribal and political leaders for approval this week.But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters: "There are still some final issues that we are working through. We are not there yet."U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the issue with Afghan President Hamid Karzai by telephone earlier on Tuesday, Psaki added.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 20 Nov 2013 14:59

Afghanistan seeks tanks, field artillery and attack helicopters from India

rajanb · Post by **rajanb** » 20 Nov 2013 21:45

Afghans Demand That U.S. Admit Military Errors

By ROD NORDLAND

Published: November 19, 2013

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/20/world ... 011.20.13&

My take on this, is that the US of A, as usual, took it out on the wrong country after 9/11. Like trying to take it out on us in '71!

member_27847 · Post by **member_27847** » 22 Nov 2013 08:54

Afghanistan has become a graveyard of empires.

It is better for India to steer clear of Afghanistan.

USA spent 80 Billion in Afghanistan with no benefit. USA has the money, so could spend it. India simply does not have that kind of money.

Many Afghans are deluded that an extreme version of Islam will deliver a paradise to them. It is simply impossible to show them the reality.

India can train Afghan soldiers but that has little impact on the ground. Building infrastructure in Afghanistan carries serious security risks.

Ultimately Afghans will kill each other or be exhausted and change. No external power can change them.