President Karzai flays terrorist attack on government employees’ vehicle
KABUL: Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan strongly condemned yesterday’s terrorist attack on a government vehicle carrying civil employees of presidential office. A government vehicle carrying civil employees of presidential office yesterday morning from Ahmad Shah Baba Mena on the way to office was targeted by a terrorist attack in Mamoriat square of the area causing two employees martyred and five others injured.
Hamid Karzai while strongly condemning the treacherous act said that targeting innocents and government civil employees was against all religious and human values and would be never acceptable. Enemies of the country by gesturing of foreigners and using the name of Islam were continually killing civilians in the holy month of Ramadan, a month of worshiping and avoiding sins. President Karzai emphatically instructed security organs to necessarily investigate the terrorist incident. The President offered deep sympathy and condolences to martyred families, wishing patience to the remained and urgent recovery to the injured.
The Kabul Times
President Karzai strongly condemns Paktika explosion
KABUL: Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has strongly condemned Paktika’s Urgun explosion killing and injuring a number of local people, calling it a brutal act. According to security officials and Paktika governor office, as a result of an explosion occurring yesterday in a market in Urgun district of Paktika, 41 people were martyred including six children and a mosque cleric and 67 others injured. President Hamid Karzai while strongly condemning the explosion said targeting innocent people was an unforgiveable act and a big treachery in the holy month of Ramadan.
The country’s president instructed relevant officials to provide necessary and urgent aid to martyred and injured families of the incident.
The President offered deep sympathy and condolences to martyred families, wishing patience to the remained and urgent recovery to the injured. The Kabul Times
Role of int’l observers trustworthy: Qanooni
KABUL: The First Vice President Mohammad Younus Qanooni in a meeting with British ambassador to Afghanistan Richard Stagg described the role of international observers for recounting of votes in the run-off as significant and a source of trust for ensuring transparency.
In the meeting which held in presidential palace, the British ambassador besides hoping for reaching agreement by both candidates over technical issues also expressed satisfaction over ending election deadlock, saying the agreement could lead to further peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The Kabul Times
MRRD to go ahead with standard urbanization development
KABUL: The Economic Committee of Council of Ministers with Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili on the chair held meeting on Tuesday.
In the meeting, according to BNA, first the draft for construction of recreational park in the Kabul Jan Park presented by the ministry of rural rehabilitation and urban development (MRRD) was discussed.
The proposed park covering 10,000 acres land in southwestern edge of Kabul city will have zoo, center of contemporary art and services and welfare colony.
Members of the committee presented their viewpoints and suggestions with regard to attracting capital, allocating land and coordination with Kabul Master-Plan, supplying water and sewerage system and the committee also approved the proposal of urban development ministry that the ministries for finance, economy, Kabul municipality and land directorate as members of board of directorate.
The committee also tasked MRRD to implement the project in accordance with the Kabul Master Plan. It also asked the Kabul municipality to cooperate with the ministry for urban development in construction of the park.
The committee also discussed the proposal of Mir wais Shirzad company for long-term leasing 78 acres land of Herat textile land proposed by the ministry for commerce and industries and after putting some questions on the modalities of the development of the textile mills and reconstruction of plants decided to constitute a delegation composed of officials from the ministry of commerce and industries, transport and the chambers of commerce and industries to review the plan.
At the end of meeting, the minister for RRD presented his report about its problems with regard to construction of 5th Microrayon. According to decision of the CM, the minister for rural rehabilitation and urban development said that construction of Microrayon project will covers up to Kabul airport. The Kabul Times
Next govt. should be formed through people’s votes: Khalili
KABUL: British Ambassador to Kabul Richard Stagg met yesterday with Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili in Kabul.
In the meeting, the vice president while praising international community and UN for solution of Afghanistan election dispute, stressing that transparency in election was a key element.
He expressed hope that agreement between presidential candidates related to recounting all votes would help in further differentiating of clean ballots from unclean ones.
The Vice President also asserted that people’s votes should be respected and next government should be formed through the people’s votes.
He further said creation of dispute was not in the interest of Afghanistan because armed insurgents would benefit from the condition.
The Vice President considered formation of a broad-based government as a requirement in Afghanistan, hoping the issue would be echoed in upcoming government.
In the meeting, British Ambassador to Kabul considered agreement between the two candidates as key and effective step towards a bright and stable future for Afghanistan, stressing that his government would support a united and stable Afghanistan.
The Kabul Times
Senate rejects MPs privileges bill
KABUL: Upper House of the parliament with its chairman Fazal Hadi Muslimyar on the chair in its session on Tuesday rejected with majority the bill on lawmakers’ privileges approved by Wolesi Jirga a couple of days ago.
Muslimyar and majority of senate members termed the bill as unjust and ruled out. Earlier civil societies by staging rallies and media by organizing televised debates rejected the bill as against the country’s economy.
Meshrano Jirga also condemned in strongest term the suicide attack in Urgon district of Paktika province which claimed scores of lives and injured dozens others on Tuesday.
The senators also denounced the bomb attack against the vehicle of the employees of presidential Palace in 12th district of Kabul city which left two persons dead and injured five others Tuesday morning.
During the senate session, the law for access to information in six chapters and 23 articles was referred to special commission for more studying and reviewing.
The Kabul Times
Govt. High Commission on swearing-in ceremony holds meeting
KABUL: The Government High Commission on swearing-in ceremony for new president, with chief of army staff Gen. Shir Mohammad Karimi the head of security committee for the ceremony held meeting yesterday.
In the meeting, according to BNA it was said that August 2 which had earlier set for the swearing-in ceremony has been postponed in the wake of request made by the UN special envoy to Afghanistan and candidates demand until finishing recounting of the votes and the new date for oath taking ceremony will be announced later.
As per agenda, heads of the commissions presented their reports and Gen. Karimi called upon the ministry for interior and the national directorate for security and officials dealing with the protection of ranking personalities to present their reports about their working programs. The concerned officials presented their reports about their programs and ensuring security for the oath taking ceremony.
Ghulam Nabi Farahi, acting minister for information and culture and head of cultural committee for the oath taking ceremony presented his report about his committee’s responsibility.
The Kabul Times
Media play key role in families’ health awareness: MINISTER
KABUL: The National Nutrition Survey (NNS) which was started in 2013 by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) with technical and financial cooperation of UNICEF, Central Statistics Office, Agha Khan University and Silk Route, its results were announced yesterday in a press conference by the Minister of Public Health and UNICEF representative to Afghanistan.
Findings of this survey suggest that around 58 percent of children below six months were exclusively breastfed thus preventing them from many childhood illnesses, the rate of iron deficiency in children had decreased from 72 percent to 26 percent in the past decade and iodine deficiency among children has reduced from 72 percent in 2004 to 30 percent in 2013.
Declaring the survey findings, Dr. Suraya Dalil, the Minister of Public Health said, that the survey shows significant improvement in the nutrition status of women and children in Afghanistan in the past ten years.
“A good thing coming out from the survey is that the efforts undertaken over the past decade have resulted in the improvement of the nutrition status of our people. It is now critical that we carry on in this direction till the goal of better health and nutrition for all Afghans is achieved,” said the minister while appreciating the reduction in malnutrition rates of women and children.
“Results of the survey indicate that awareness campaigns have had great impact in improving the knowledge and nutritional practices of families,” she added, emphasizing the role of the media can play in raising knowledge and awareness of families.
Meanwhile, representative of UNICEF to Afghanistan, Akhil Iyer, said, “Improvements in the nutrition status of children, adolescent girls and women have made us more optimistic toward the future. Stunting among children has decreased by nearly 20 percent from 60.5 percent in 2004 to 40.9 percent in 2013”. The MoPH will soon be conducting and academic symposium to discuss the findings of the survey in detail and will come up with key recommendations and action plans to tackle the issue of malnutrition in the country.
The NNS 2013 was conducted throughout the country, covering all 34 provinces where children under five, adolescent girls and women were surveyed. The nutrition status of adolescent girls (10-19 years) was assessed for the first time in Afghanistan in this survey and the findings highlight that nearly 8 percent of adolescent girls are thin or undernourished and about 30 percent of them are anemic as well.
The Kabul Times
Car-bomb blast Kills 80 in Paktika
At least 80 people were killed and over 80 others were injured following a suicide attack in eastern Paktika province.
The incident took place on yesterday afternoon in Orgun district after a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
An intelligence official said at least nearly 110 people were injured following the suicide attack which took place in a busy market.
Another security official said the dead bodies of at least four people were recovered, while officials in Orgun civil hospital said dozens of injured people including women and children have been taken to the hospital.
The Kabul Times
Nangarhar museum’s professional employee passes away
KABUL: Juma Gul Khan, a former employee working for Ministry of Information and Culture in Nangarhar province, has passed away due to a disease he was suffering.
Minister of Information and Culture Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen while offering sympathy and condolences to the deceased family and colleagues and considering his death as a loss said late Juma Gul Khan had spent 36 years of his life in the service of culture and protection of the country’s historical monuments and was an honest, kind and servant of this land.
The Kabul Times
17 Taliban militants killed in counter-terrorism operations
At least 17 Taliban militants were killed following counter-terrorism operations in various provinces of Afghanistan in the past 24 hours. The ministry of interior of Afghanistan (MoI) following a statement said the operations were jointly conducted by Afghan national police, Afghan national army and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives.
The statement further added that the operations were conducted in Kapisa, Faryab, Ghazni and Paktika provinces. Interior said at least 10 militants were also injured and another militant was detained during the operations. MoI in its statement also added that Afghan national security forces confiscated various types of heavy and light weapons along with the ammunition during the operations. Afghan national police forces discovered and seized 3 improvised explosive device (IED) during the same operations, MoI said.
Interior ministry said the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recently planted by Taliban militants for the insurgency activities.
The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the report so far.
The Kabul Times
ANSF should curb terrorist attacks in coordination with locals, NSC
KABUL: The National Security Council (NSC) with President Hamid Karzai on the chair held meeting in presidential palace yesterday.
At the beginning of the meeting, the ministers for security apparatus said that the terrorists are targeting and killing innocent people on charge of cooperating with the government.
They stated that the enemies by organizing roadside bombings along the roads and highways in different provinces including Helmand, Ghor and Kunar, killing and harassing innocent people.
Strongly condemning the coward terrorist attacks, the NSC instructed the national security forces to curb terrorist activities in coordination with the locals.
Appreciating the support of locals with security forces in repulsing terrorists from Charsada district of Ghor province, noting that improving security is impossible with the support of people.
President Karzai personally thanked the people of Charsada district over their support to security forces.
Receiving reports from Paktika province about installation of barbed wire by Pakistani troops near Durand Line fence was also discussed in the meeting and the ministry for tribal affairs and frontiers and interior were assigned to check the report and present their report in the next meeting of the NSC.
The Kabul Times
Kerry, Kubiš praise President Karzai’s role in solution of election disputes
KABUL: UN special envoy to Afghanistan Ján Kubiš in a joint news conference with President Hamid Karzai and Secretary of State John Kerry said that created conceptions made related to commitment of President Karzai over the election process were proved as wrong. In the joint press conference held Saturday night at presidential palace, UN special envoy to Afghanistan thanked President Hamid Karzai for strongly and managerially leading and exceptional commitment related to transition of Afghanistan political power, asserting that questions, conceptions and predicts related to commitment of the President over the process were proved as wrong. He also praised John Kerry for his efforts related to solution of the electoral stalemate and agreement of the two presidential candidates towards national unity, prosperity, peace and stability of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry praised President Hamid Karzai for his role in solution of the election dispute and said, “Difficult way is still ahead because key responsibilities should be implemented for auditing the ballots and difficult decisions are ahead, adding efforts, leading and political wisdom of the two candidates are needed in this regard.”
“Tonight Afghanistan witnessed a real unity and a moment in which both contenders got united their rigid followers toward implementation of their country’s interests higher than their individual interest,” Kerry said. John Kerry expressed hope that restoration of reliable votes of Afghanistan people towards electing new president of Afghanistan would be implemented in upcoming few weeks.
The Kabul Times
UN asks President Karzai to delay inauguration ceremony
KABUL: UN special envoy to Afghanistan Ján Kubiš in a letter has asked President Hamid Karzai to delay the date of holding new elected president’s oath taking ceremony in order to audit 100% electoral votes. UN special envoy to Afghanistan has said in the letter, “Auditing of overall ballots requires enough period of time, so I would like to ask you His Excellency to review a period of one month delay in date of new elected president’s oath taking ceremony currently fixed on August 2.” In the letter, Ján Kubiš also expressed happiness over agreement made by two presidential runners Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai related to auditing of all 100% ballots cast in the second round of presidential election. The Kabul Times
Absorption capacity of students to be increased in MoHE: Qanooni
KABUL: Chaired by First Vice President Mohammad Younus Qanooni, the session of High Council of higher education institutions was held with the participation of all members at Gul Khana Palace, reported the presidential press office to BNA adding that in this session the First Vice President touching one of the parts of the agenda the entrance examination expenditures of this year said that entrance examination is a big national issue in the country which requires huge expenditures and the ministry of higher education that is responsible to train skilled cadres for Afghanistan in all fields should tackle it and seek funding ways. Qanooni added, we should increase the absorption capacity of students in the MoHE. So it requires to discuss and assess the security measures and particular preparations for this purpose in one of our meetings.
Later on the minister of higher education submitted the items of the agenda respectively which included expenditures and incomes of entrance examination of newly enrolled students of 1393-1394, funding of night faculties, and budget for remuneration of lecturers and other programs of that ministry which were discussed one by one.
The Kabul Times
To visit our new website please go through this address thekabultimes.gov.af 