Taliban

Pakistan in the past has had its problems with the former Ashraf Ghani government in relation to cross-border movement, terror hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch militants inside Afghanistan and the extended support that Afghan Intelligence agencies along with external actors. Pakistan accused the US-backed Ghani regime for harbouring and supporting anti-Pakistan groups and using them to spread terror and instability in the country.

Speaking to Pakistani media, the Minister had said: "They (the Pakistan military) use military equipment remaining from NATO forces. In my opinion, the Afghan Taliban made a large effort to dissuade the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), but they don't understand. They are settled in Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktia and Khost provinces, which are along the (Durand Line), and they launch attacks against Pakistan. The attacks have increased."

On Thursday, SIGAR released its 44th quarterly report to the US Congress examining the $145.87 billion reconstruction effort in Afghanistan, which said that "record drought, rising food prices, internal displacement" as well as economic breakdown and collapse of public services constitute a "humanitarian emergency", reports TOLO News. "WHO and WFP estimate that 3.2 million Afghan children under age five will suffer from acute malnutrition this winter, with one million at risk of dying."

Moeed Yusuf, the National Security Advisor of the Imran Khan government during his visit to Kabul on Sunday, accused the Taliban of sheltering all TTP top militants who are on Pakistan's most wanted list. According to Pakistan and Afghanistan watchers, Yusuf also conveyed to the Pashtun militant group that the TTP leaders have allowed the Baloch militants to make their hideouts near Kandahar and Helmand provinces in Afghanistan.

In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Higher Education said that the students who are yet to complete their last semester will be given three weeks and the new educational year in those provinces will start in late April, reports Khaama Press. The universities in cold and snowy provinces will reopen in early March, the statement said.

In a statement, it said the ‘Afghan Women Days' will kick off with a high-level conference which will be attended by members of the European Parliament, prominent Afghan women who were finalists for Parliament's 2021 Shakarov Prize, activists, UN representatives and representatives from several other international organisations, reports TOLO News.

Political analysts consider the resumption of activities in the country's airports essential, especially the military ones, to carry out special operations, and to provide assistance to the people in emergency situations.

The growing animosity between those ethnic groups and the Taliban ignited briefly in Faryab's provincial capital of Maimana in mid-January when protests over the arrest of a local leader led to clashes, the report said. An ethnic Uzbek, Alem was influential in working with the local leaders and elders from the ethnic groups in northern Afghanistan, securing the loyalty of those regions for the Taliban, the report said.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan prevented media outlets from holding a press conference in Kabul over concerns about the status of media in the country, reported media organizations. The conference was supposed to be held on Wednesday in Kabul, reported TOLO News. The Afghanistan Journalist Center in a statement said the conference was to be attended by 11 representatives from different media organizations.

The TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has intensified its attacks in Pakistan since a month-long ceasefire expired and peace talks collapsed in December last. The Pakistani delegation held several days of talks with TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud and members of the extremist group's leadership council in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Paktika, said sources with knowledge of the discussions, the report said.