News Analysis India

Tag: Afghanistan

  • BJP uses Taliban, Afghanistan, Pakistan to garner votes: Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Accusing the BJP of playing politics over the issues of Taliban, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to garner votes, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday alleged that the seven-year rule of the saffron party has brought miseries to the people of the country and left Jammu and Kashmir “destroyed”.

    She claimed that it is not Hindus but the democracy and India which are in danger under the BJP rule, which has undone all the “good work” of the past 70 years of the Congress and started selling national resources and raising the prices of essentials to fill its coffers to “buy or intimidate” opposition legislators.

    The former chief minister taunted her critics and said the mere mention of Taliban or the party’s vision of self-rule makes her “anti-national” and triggers debates and discussions even as the focus should have been the ongoing agitation of the farmers, inflation, and other issues of public importance.

    “Jammu and Kashmir are in trouble and so is the entire country…they say Hindus are in danger but they are not in danger and the fact it is India and the democracy which are in danger because of them (BJP),” Mehbooba said addressing a rally organized by the youth wing of her party here.

    Mehbooba reached Jammu late on Saturday after a five-day tour of Poonch and Rajouri districts, facing a small protest by a group of Rashtriya Bajrang Dal activists who attempt to stop her cavalcade near Dogra chowk in the city was foiled by police.

    As the elections in different states come nearer, the BJP will start cashing on the god-given opportunity of Taliban and Afghanistan and if it would not work, they will bring Pakistan and drones into the picture, the Peoples Democratic Party chief said.

    “They will not talk about China which has intruded into Ladakh because they do not get votes by talking about that country. If you want to frighten people, talk about Taliban, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and do something here and there and seek votes,” she said.

    Referring to the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Mehbooba alleged that the BJP’s incumbent state chief minister failed to provide jobs, roads, and schools, while as the river Ganga which is considered sacred by the people of the country was made a dumping ground for human corpses because people do not have money to perform the last rites of their relatives.

    “…They do not have anything to sell to the people and therefore they will use Pakistan and J-K to garner votes. They have destroyed J-K and are using sticks to oppress the people who are not allowed to speak openly for their rights,” she said.

    Mehbooba said the BJP is watching what she is saying to trigger a debate in media.

    “The farmers’ agitation, growing unemployment, inflation, and other issues facing the country should have been the focus of our debates but there is no discussion on these important issues. Since the elections in UP are drawing closer, there will be more discussion on Taliban and Afghanistan,” she said.

    She alleged that the BJP government is using crores of rupees on the self-projection and taxing people by rising petrol and diesel prices to fill its coffers and use the money to “buy MLAs of other parties and use government agencies to intimidate those who reject its offer”.

    Mehbooba said there are debates on the oppressive measures adopted by the Taliban against women in Afghanistan but nobody is talking about the women of India who are facing rapes and dowry deaths.

    “I know unemployment is such that we cannot provide jobs to everyone. Mufti had a plan to address this problem but if I name the plan which is self-rule, I will be dubbed as anti-national and it will trigger debates and discussions,” she said.

    Explaining self-rule, she said Jammu and Kashmir are holding a strategic position and can be a gateway to central Asia if all the cross-border traditional routes are opened and all the neighboring countries allowed to open bank branches which will generate employment.

  • Kabul airport attacker was in India, claims ISIS

    Express News Service

    KOZHIKODE: Islamic State (IS) has claimed that the suicide bomber who killed around 180 people at the Kabul airport on August 26 was arrested in Delhi five years ago and was deported to Afghanistan after being imprisoned for five years.

    He is suspected to be an Afghan national. The new edition of the IS magazine Voice of Hind said: “By the grace of Allah, a soldier of the Khilafah, Abdur Rahman al-Logri, carried out an istishadhi (suicide attack) operation. The brother was arrested five years ago in India, when he had travelled to Delhi to carry out an istishadhi operation on the cow-worshipping Hindus in revenge for Kashmir.”

    “But Allah had decreed otherwise, the brother was tested with imprisonment and was deported to Afghanistan. Staying true to his promise to Allah, the brother didn’t go home, rather carried out his operation, his heart filled with tranquility and pleasure,” it said.

    IS says its soldiers will attack Taliban

    The magazine’s 20th edition did not say anything about the operation in Delhi or how and when he was arrested. The National Investigation Agency had arrested three persons from Kashmir two months ago for circulating Voice of Hind, a digital magazine brought out by Ansarul Khilafa Al Hind, the IS module in India.

    Referring to the Taliban’s resolve to finish off the IS, the magazine said: “These deviated Sufis (Taliban) along with their Mullahs have threatened to eliminate the Khilafah. The soldiers of Allah are more than prepared for them and soon they will see Allah’s punishment. The brothers who escaped along with Abdur Rahman al Logri are waiting for their opportunity.”

    It may be recalled the IS had claimed Malayalis were involved in two attacks in Afghanistan. An Nabha, another IS magazine, had said Muhammad Mohsin from Kasaragod was the suicide bomber who attacked gurudwara in Kabul on March 25, 2020. The terror outfit had also claimed another Malayali was among those who attacked the prison in Jalalabad on August 2, 2020.

  • Continuing instability, fundamentalism in Afghanistan will embolden terrorist, extremist ideologies across world: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the global community should decide “collectively” and “thoughtfully” on recognising the new set-up in Afghanistan in view of questions over its acceptability as the change of power was not “inclusive” even as he warned that continuing instability and fundamentalism in that country will embolden terrorist and extremist ideologies all over the world.

    In a virtual address at a meeting on Afghanistan of the heads of state of the SCO and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, Modi said the Afghan soil should not be used to spread terrorism in any country and called for having a code of conduct to prevent cross-border terrorism and terror financing.

    He said the recent developments in Afghanistan will have the “greatest impact” on neighbouring countries like India and that there is a need for regional focus and cooperation in dealing with the issue.

    Without naming the Taliban, the prime minister mentioned four specific issues covering key concerns relating to the developments in Afghanistan and the need for the international community to look at them.

    The first issue, he said relates to the questions over the change of power as it was not inclusive and took place without negotiation.

    “This raises questions about the acceptability of the new system. Representation of all sections of Afghan society, including women and minorities, is also important,” Modi said.

    “And therefore, it is essential that the global community decides on the recognition of the new system in a thoughtful and collective manner,” he said.

    Talking about the second issue, the prime minister said if instability and fundamentalism continue in Afghanistan, it will lead to terrorist and extremist ideologies all over the world.

    “Other extremist groups may also be encouraged to seek power through violence. We (all countries) have been victims of terrorism in the past. And so together we must ensure that the soil of Afghanistan is not used to spread terrorism in any country,” he said.

    Modi said the SCO member countries should develop strict and common norms on this subject and they can also become a template for global anti-terror cooperation.

    These norms, he said should be based on the principle of zero tolerance towards terrorism, noting that a “code of conduct” should be brought up to prevent activities like cross-border terrorism and terror financing.

    “And there should also be a system of their enforcement,” he added.

    Explaining the third point, Modi said developments in Afghanistan could lead to an uncontrolled flow of drugs, illegal weapons and human trafficking and that a large amount of advanced weapons remain in that country.

    “Due to these, there will be a risk of instability in the entire region. The RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure) mechanism of SCO can play a positive role in monitoring these flows and enhancing information sharing,” Modi said.

    He said India is presiding over the council of this institution from this month and that it has developed proposals for practical cooperation on the matter.

    The fourth topic of concern, Modi said, is the serious humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

    He said the economic woes of the Afghan people are increasing due to the interruption of financial and trade flows amid the challenge of COVID-19.

    Modi said India has been Afghanistan’s trusted partner for many years for development and humanitarian assistance in a number of sectors including education, health and capacity building.

    “Even today we are eager to deliver food items, medicines to our Afghan friends,” he said.

    The prime minister said there was a need to work together to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Afghanistan in a relentless manner.

    “The Afghan and Indian people have had a special relationship for centuries,” he said, adding India will have full cooperation in every regional or global initiative to help the Afghan society.

  • 736 Afghans recorded for new registration in India from Aug 1 to Sep 11: UNHCR

    The UN refugee agency said it is in constant dialogue with the government on matters pertaining to Afghan nationals, including issuance and extensions of visa, assistance, and solutions.

  • Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman yet to get entry visa to join SRH in Dubai

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to resume in UAE from Sunday, but there is still no clarity on when Afghanistan and SunRisers Hyderabad spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman can join the franchise. He is yet to get an entry visa into the country for the remaining half of the cash-rich league.

    Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments confirmed the same. “It is still being worked on and there is no clear date as to when Mujeeb can join his franchise. His entry visa is still being worked on and there should be an update soon,” the source said.

    Meanwhile, star spinner Rashid Khan and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi have joined SRH in UAE and are currently undergoing quarantine. SunRisers will play their first game in the second half of the season on September 22 against Delhi Capitals.

    The players coming from the Caribbean Premier League and the South Africa-Sri Lanka series will undergo two-day isolation before they join their respective team bubbles. The bubble to bubble transfer means they will not need to quarantine for six days with an eye on COVID-19.

    Sources in the know of developments confirmed that the players will undergo isolation and get their COVID-19 test done before they join teammates in the bubble. “The players coming in from the bubbles in CPL and from the SA-SL series will undergo two days of isolation. They will come in and go into their rooms on the first day, they will then get tested next day and once the results come in, they will join the squad members in the bubble,” the source told ANI.

    The BCCI had earlier informed all franchises that every player coming to UAE from the UK would have to undergo six days of hard quarantine before they could join the existing team bubbles for the resumption of the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.

    The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians. The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings. In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.

    The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.

  • Taliban is in Afghanistan, let us talk about farmers, issues of India: Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Lets talk about problems faced by people in this country rather than Afghanistan, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said on Tuesday, having faced flak over her recent statement referring to the Taliban.

    She alleged that the BJP government has made the lives of the people miserable.

    The government is not listening to anyone, including the farmers who are on the roads for the past nine months, Mufti added.

    “Taliban are in Afghanistan and why talk about them? We have a lot of issues, the biggest being the farmers’ protest and the issues of the people of Jammu and Kashmir which was bifurcated, rampant corruption and the lack of development.

    “They are claiming that Article 370 was removed for parity but even tenders for our minor minerals and jobs are given to outsiders.

    Taliban is there but let’s talk about our issues as the BJP has made the condition of the people of our country so miserable that they are not even able to buy ration,” she told reporters in Poonch, where she reached on the first leg of her over a week-long tour of Jammu region.

    Reacting to a question about the Taliban in Afghanistan, Mufti said farmers provide food for the people of the country but the BJP government has left them on the roads.

    “This government is unmoved, which is very unfortunate. They are talking a lot but the fact of the matter is that they do not respect anyone,” she claimed.

    Last week, the PDP chief had said the Taliban had “come to the fore as a reality” and advised them to follow the true Sharia law that guarantees rights of women, children, and the elderly if they want to govern Afghanistan.

    The comment led to criticism by sections of the media as well as on social media platforms.

    A day later, she said she was not surprised her statement on Sharia was deliberately distorted and used as ‘click bait’ because Muslims are always expected to prove they don’t stand for violence.

    Responding to a question on the upcoming Assembly elections in the union territory, Mufti said, “Election is not my objective. My stand is clear that I will continue my struggle for restoration of the prestige, identity and rights of our people which were snatched from us unconstitutionally. I will continue to work to seek a solution to the Kashmir problem so that bloodshed is stopped.”

    On reaching Poonch, the PDP president said, “The twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri have given a lot of love and respect to us. I have come to see the problems being faced by them.”

  • India will stand by Afghans as it did in past: EAM S Jaishankar 

    Noting that Afghanistan is passing through a quot;critical and challenging quot; phase, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said the international community must come forward to help it.

  • India will stand by Afghans as it did in past: Jaishankar calls for non-discriminatory distribution of aid

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With a grave humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan, India on Monday said it is willing to stand by Afghans and called for unimpeded access to aid providers to the country as also a “non-discriminatory” distribution of relief supplies across all sections of the society.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that as an immediate neighbour, India is monitoring developments in Afghanistan with “understandable concern”, and noted that the issue of travel and safe passage that can emerge as an obstacle to humanitarian assistance should be immediately sorted out.

    In a brief virtual address at the UN high-level meeting on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the minister also heightened the threat of rising poverty levels and said the same could have a catastrophic effect on regional stability.

    He said India’s approach to Afghanistan has always been guided by its historical friendship with its people and it will continue to be the case.

    “Today, I wish to underline that in the face of a grave emerging situation, India is willing to stand by the Afghan people, just as in the past.

    To ensure that this happened speedily and effectively, we believe that the international community must come together to create the best possible enabling environment,” he said.

    “Among the challenges that the current situation poses is that of efficient logistics.

    It is therefore essential that humanitarian assistance providers are accorded unimpeded, unrestricted and direct access to Afghanistan,” Jaishankar said.

    The external affairs minister said once relief materials reach that country, the world will naturally expect a “non-discriminatory distribution of humanitarian assistance across all sections of the Afghan society”.

    “Only the United Nations has the capacity to monitor such endeavours and reassure donors.

    ALSO READ | UN chief announces USD 20 million allocation to support humanitarian operation in Afghanistan

    As the picture becomes clear in respect of the legitimate concerns I am confident that the world will step forward and assist the Afghan people in their hour of need,” he said.

    His comments came in the backdrop of apprehensions of whether the relief materials, once delivered, will reach the intended beneficiaries under the Taliban regime.

    “Afghanistan is passing through a critical and challenging phase. There has been a sea change in its political, economic, social and security situation, and consequently, in its humanitarian needs,” he said.

    “As an immediate neighbour, India’s monitoring developments with understandable concern,” he added.

    Jaishankar said India has consistently supported a central role of the global body on the future of the country as a multilateral platform is always more effective than small groups in building global consensus and encouraging united action.

    In his comments, he also said the UN Security Council resolution 2593 should guide the international community’s approach in the coming days in Afghanistan.

    The UNSC resolution, adopted on August 30 under India’s presidency of the global body, demanded that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter and train terrorists and plan or finance terrorist attacks.

    The external affairs minister also referred to an assessment by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that there is an imminent threat of the poverty levels rising from 72 to 97 per cent in that country.

    “This would have catastrophic consequences, not just in our collective fight against poverty, but also for regional stability.

    Even as we address that, it is important that the issue of travel and safe passage that can emerge as an obstacle to humanitarian assistance be immediately sorted out,” Jaishankar said.

    He said those who wish to travel into and out of Afghanistan should be granted such facilities without obstruction.

    “The normalisation of regular commercial operations of Kabul airport would not only assist in that regard but then become the basis for a regular flow of relief material.

    This would also accelerate activities that would complement domestic relief measures,” he said.

    Jaishankar also listed India’s contribution to the humanitarian requirements of Afghan society in the past.

    “This included providing more than one million metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan over the past decade.

    Last year too we have assisted Afghanistan with 75,000 metric tonnes of wheat,” he said.

    The minister said India has also partnered World Food Programme for the distribution of high protein biscuits over several years and that the innovative scheme particularly supported vulnerable school going children of Afghanistan.

    “India’s efforts and helping the Afghan people have been both direct and indirect way of contributing to the livelihood and larger framework as significantly as they have to direct material leads.

    Our friendship is reflected in Indian development projects that today exist in all the 34 provinces,” he said.

    Jaishankar said India has invested more than US dollar 3 billion for the welfare of the people of Afghanistan.

    “We have undertaken 500 projects in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building,” he said.

  • J&K MP Hasnain Masoodi wants Centre to start ‘peace offensive’

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: With security officials concerned over possible effects of the changes in Afghanistan in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference MP Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi has advised the Centre to launch a “peace offensive” to prevent any impact of the Taliban.

    Talking to The New Indian Express, Masoodi said, “The Centre should launch a peace offensive in J&K. It should go for dialogue, respect the wishes and aspirations of J&K people and restore the rights of people. The Centre should restore the August 5, 2019 Constitutional position of J&K.”

    On Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the MP said, “In Afghanistan, it is not a mere change of power, it is a huge ideological shift with a new approach and mindset. It is likely to have an impact not only there, but it will have underground rumblings in many parts of the world”.

    He said since J&K is already a hot spot, there may be some spill over of what is happening in Afghanistan. “People are alienated and there is a big gulf. When PM Modi talks Dil ki Doori, it means there exists a Doori (gulf). The government has made the ground fertile for germination of seeds. They said things are normal but that is not the case”.

    Masoodi said after Article 370 revocation, the government gave an impression that people in J&K were living in the Stone Age.

    “They are giving wrong information to the country. Development cannot be anything by itself unless you address the aspirations of people. Peace and development go hand in hand. We want development with dignity and one cannot have dignity unless you restore the rights of people.”

    Told that the Centre has been saying Article 370 won’t be restored, Masoodi said, “We hope it will be.”

  • Border forces, armed counter-terrorism units to have training module on Taliban

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Border forces and armed police units deployed in the counter-terrorism grid have been directed by the central security establishment to prepare and administer a new training module on the Taliban and its modus operandi to the troops in view of the “emerging” scenario following the Islamic militia taking over Afghanistan.

    Stating that the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last month may have a “serious bearing” on the security situation in India, the ground forces and their intelligence setup have been asked to update both their strategy, tactics and combat syllabus on the new “geo-political situation in central and south Asia and its grave security implication on India’s borders and the hinterland”.

    The directive issued by the security establishment a few days back also envisages a scenario where infiltration from across the border from Pakistan on India’s west and illegal entry of terrorist operatives from open fronts in the east may increase including that by foreign terrorist fighters.

    Officials in the central security forces and intelligence wings acknowledged the new developments that have taken place in the neighbourhood after the Taliban swiftly took over almost all provinces of Afghanistan last month following the US military retreating from their 20-year war in that country launched after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 in their country.

    A senior officer told PTI that the existing training module of border guarding forces like the BSF and SSB, state police units and those involved in counter-terrorist duties like the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police have an existing title “changing dynamics of border management”.

    “This included information on the Taliban as well but it was not updated. That is being added through open-source authentic information and others available in a classified manner to us and the focus is the developments of the last twenty years that took place in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks,” the officer said.

    A full-fledged training, intelligence and combat module on Taliban, its leadership and their modus operandi is being prepared apart from specific case studies that have taken place in that country and the region, he said.

    The directives have been forwarded to the central and state police forces which have multiple levels of training centres and academies to train their personnel and officers during induction and while in service.

    “It is very important for the last man standing at the border, a checkpost or under a police jurisdiction to know about the Taliban’s history and linked activities and strategies. Senior and top commanders of the security forces may know most of the things about Afghanistan and Taliban situation but they draw their operational strength from the troops or the constable standing on the ground. They need to be informed well,” another senior officer working in the training management division of a paramilitary force said.

    At least one such session has been conducted in two central forces post the issuance of the new directives while a webinar for all these forces is being planned in a combined manner to be held later this month, a Union home ministry official said.

    A third officer said the latest directions make it clear that such sessions should also be held for the troops and commanding officers on the ground during “daily operational briefing sessions” in their area of deployment and case studies on the Taliban are being prepared in “local and vernacular languages” for the troops.

    The security forces are also enhancing their training quota of personnel for understanding IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs). “IEDs remain a constant threat to the security personnel and their operations everywhere be it anti-Naxal operations or counter-terrorist duties. However, for those deployed in the Kashmir valley knowing IEDs and VBIEDs, their detection and crippling is very important post the Afghanistan development,” one of the officers cited above said and referred to the fatal and non-fatal casualties suffered by the NATO forces from IEDs in Afghanistan.