SCO, UN Discuss Terror Threats From Afghanistan
Members of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team discussed Afghanistan.
Members of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team discussed Afghanistan.
In the meeting, the terrorist groups’ threats, including Al-Qaeda and ISIS, has been discussed.
As per Uzbek media, the meeting took place in Tashkent, and discussions were focused on the operational capabilities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
The details of the talks have not been published yet.
Both organisations have consistently warned regarding the escalating threat of terrorism in Afghanistan and the region.
Zamir Kabulov, Russia's Special Representative for Afghanistan, has stated that Moscow is currently not considering the recognition of the Taliban.
Speaking to TASS news agency, Kabulov highlighted that Russia has consistently made it clear at various levels that recognising the Taliban is not presently part of its agenda.
As a member of the United Nations Security Council, Russia has reiterated the importance of the Taliban fulfilling their commitments, which include combating terrorist groups and establishing an inclusive government.
In his dialogue with TASS, Kabulov also emphasized that there are no ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Washington regarding Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Kabulov mentioned that Russia will maintain its consultations with China, Iran, and Pakistan on Afghan-related matters.
Abdul Jabbar Takhari, the Taliban's Consul General in Karachi, alleged that Sindh province police in Pakistan have been detaining Afghan immigrants with valid documents, only to release them upon receiving bribes.
Takhari discussed these issues with Sindh Interior Minister Haris Nawaz.
The Taliban consulate in Karachi stated on Tuesday that, despite Pakistan's federal and state authorities assuring that properly documented Afghan immigrants would not be persecuted, there are numerous reports of their arrest and subsequent release in return for money.
Takhari also mentioned that some individuals in Pakistan are exploiting this situation by threatening Afghan immigrants with eviction from their jobs and homes.
During his meeting with Nawaz, Takhari urged for an acceleration in the release of Afghan detainees from Pakistani prisons.
The Taliban consulate in Karachi conveyed that Nawaz is looking into the reported harassment of Afghans with legal residency in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior previously declared that the deportation of Afghan refugees holding legal residence permits is not currently planned.
In recent months, Pakistani police have detained several hundred Afghan immigrants, raising concerns among human rights groups about the treatment of Afghan immigrants in Pakistani jails.
For the past two weeks, Pakistan has been deporting undocumented Afghan immigrants.
This action impacts approximately 1.7 million undocumented Afghan immigrants in Pakistan.
A Taliban delegation led by Nooruddin Azizi, the group’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, arrived in Islamabad to participate in a tripartite meeting.
The delegation includes representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry Transport and Civil Aviation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement, on Monday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Taliban stated that the delegation has traveled to Islamabad to participate in a tripartite meeting with the representatives of Uzbekistan and Pakistan.
The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad also posted a video stating that the delegation will address issues related to travel and trade between the two countries.
This Taliban delegation’s trip occurs even though Pakistan has recently faced criticism from the group’s officials following the deportation of Afghan immigrants from the country.
Pakistan announced that so far 220,398 immigrants without legal documentations have returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham and Chaman crossings.
Pakistan's state radio reported that thousands of undocumented immigrants return to their country through these two crossings every day.
According to this media report, on Sunday, 3,043 people returned to Afghanistan with 312 vehicles.
However, there is a difference between the figures published by the Taliban and the Pakistani media.
The Taliban Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that a total of 5,570 migrants returned via the Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings on Sunday.
The Taliban had announced the return of 200,000 people to the country, earlier.
On October 3, Pakistan set a deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.
Following that, the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan now forcibly deports the immigrants.
As per estimates provided by the interim government of Pakistan, prior to the announcement of this decision, there were approximately 1.7 million Afghan immigrants residing in the country without legal documentation.
Pakistan's Chaman Police sent an official letter warning thousands of protesters to end their sit-in "for security reasons".
Over the last 23 days, thousands of protestors have been staging a sit-in at Chaman city near the border with Afghanistan, protesting against the prohibition on travel without visas and passports across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossings.
Yet, the protestors call the "security threats" as an excuse to halt their sit-in, emphasising on their determination to not yield to pressure from the Pakistani government.
In the official letter that appears to have been issued on Friday, November 10, Chaman Police wrote to the organisers of the sit-in, "Several countries are trying to attack the sit-ins."
In the letter, the local police department announced its inability to provide security for the protesters in the open area and asked the protesters to either end their sit-in or move their protest to a closed space.
The local police department of Chaman has warned that otherwise the responsibility of whatever happens will be on the organisers of the sit-in.
Amir Mohammad, one of the protestors, responded to the warning of the local police and said that only "Pakistani soldiers" will attack us. He said that "Pakistani security forces will be responsible" if the protesters are harmed.
The Prime Minister of the interim government of Pakistan Anwar ul Haq Kakar has taken unprecedented decisions regarding the border issues and immigrants in the country during the recent months.
During the first month of their reign, the interim cabinet led by Kakar set a deadline for more than 1.7 million Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan by November 1.
With the deadline set, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior has launched a massive operation to detain and forcibly deport refugees.
The interim government of Pakistan has also decided to implement a "single document policy" for movement across the borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to the new decision of the government of Pakistan, passengers will not be able to cross the border crossings with any other documents except a passport and visa.
The recent decision by the Pakistani government marks the end of a period where travellers could utilise outdated documents like agreements of the British India period and national identity cards to cross the border.
