Current Situation to Persist, Says Former Iranian Diplomat Regarding Doha Meeting

AFJC reported that the Taliban had implemented significant restrictions affecting the organisation’s ability to carry out its work.

Nai had announced that it has temporarily stopped its activities in Afghanistan.

Ahmad Quraishi, director of the AFJC, said that NAI has a long history of supporting journalists and promoting free media in Afghanistan.

“We look forward to the swift resumption of Nai's vital work and trust that the necessary conditions will be established to allow this organisation, alongside other entities working towards the same goal, to continue supporting journalists and fostering a free media in Afghanistan,” said Quraishi.

AFJC reported that over the past 18 years, Nai has collaborated with the backing of various international institutions to aid journalists and promote free media. Their efforts have particularly been focused on training journalists and providing legal assistance to the media community.

It added that the senior officials of this organisation were forced to leave Afghanistan following the takeover of the Taliban.

On January 25, Mujeeb Khelwatgar, executive director of Nai announced the temporary suspension of organisation, saying that once the conditions of the institution improve, it can resume its activities in the future.

He mentioned that he will provide further details regarding the reasons for the temporary suspension of Nai's activities at a later time.

So far, the Taliban has not commented in this regard.

The front has also shared videos with the media showing the front’s guerrillas launching rockets at targets in Parwan and Kapisa.

In a statement released on Friday, the front stated that it successfully targeted a Taliban base in Bagram district of Parwan province. The operation resulted in the death of two Taliban members, with three others sustaining injuries.

It also added that in a separate operation, its guerrilla forces attacked a Taliban base in the capital of Kapisa province, after which one Taliban member was killed and two got injured.

The front stated that their forces weren’t harmed in these operations.

Rahmatullah Nabil, former intelligence chief of Afghanistan, identified Pakistan as Afghanistan's "historic enemy," stating that General Asim Munir's remarks reflect Islamabad's long-term policy towards Afghanistan.

In a gathering with students, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff declared, "The life of one Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan." This statement has sparked widespread criticism from Afghan political figures and the general public on social media. However, there has been no official response from the Taliban.

Atmar, in his reaction, stressed that given the Army Chief's significant influence in Pakistan's internal and foreign policies, his comments should be a serious concern for Afghanistan, its neighbours, and the international community. Atmar interpreted Munir's remarks as a combination of covert and overt threats and an overt incitement of anti-Afghan sentiments among Pakistanis.

Atmar labelled parts of Munir's speech as deceitful and dangerous, particularly the accusation that Afghanistan has long supported the insurgency in Balochistan and has never been friendly towards Pakistan. He refuted these claims, stating that the Afghan people have never intended to harm Pakistan and have always been deeply grateful for the support of Pakistani people during their displacement.

He warned of the significant implications these statements could have on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and the broader regional context.

Rahmatullah Nabil, responding to Munir's comments, indicated that these remarks are not new and represent Pakistan's long-standing approach towards Afghanistan, portraying Pakistan as a 'historic enemy' always trying to destabilise Afghan governments and society.

Masoom Stanekzai, the former chief peace negotiator for the Afghan government, also reacted, recalling his 2018 conversation with Munir in London. He urged Munir to fundamentally change Pakistan's outlook towards Afghanistan, warning of the eventual repercussions of their policies.

Asim Munir's address to Pakistani students included claims that Pakistan has provided sustenance to five million Afghan citizens since the last fifty years and that the Pakistani Army would target anyone threatening Pakistan's citizens. He also accused Afghanistan of supporting the Balochistan insurgency and never being a friendly neighbour to Pakistan.

These remarks from Pakistan's Army Chief underscore the deep-seated dissatisfaction among Pakistani officials with the Taliban. The relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban-controlled Kabul has worsened due to increasing insecurities in Pakistan since the Taliban's ascent. Pakistani authorities blame the Taliban for providing safe havens to anti-Taliban militants like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allege their involvement in recent attacks against Pakistani forces. However, Taliban spokespersons have consistently refuted these claims, accusing Islamabad of projecting its security failures onto the Taliban.

Patel stressed on the paramount importance of safeguarding US nationals, particularly those in captivity or facing hostage situations.

During a recent press conference, Patel informed Afghanistan International journalist Marzia Hosseini about the US' dedicated efforts, spearheaded by the special representative for hostage affairs, to secure the release of Americans held by the Taliban.

Since the Taliban's ascent to power two years ago, many countries, with the US leading the charge, have strongly discouraged their citizens from traveling to Afghanistan.

Earlier, the State Department specifically warned against travel to Afghanistan, citing severe threats such as terrorism, unlawful detentions, kidnappings, and criminal activities.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has acknowledged the detention of several US citizens by the Taliban and disclosed ongoing efforts by the US government for their liberation and safe return.

However, detailed statistics regarding the number of Americans detained by the Taliban remain undisclosed by the US.

Khilwatgar indicated that he will elaborate on the reasons for this suspension at a later date.

Established in 2005, Nai has been committed to its mission of fostering a free media landscape, as Khilwatgar expressed in a recent video message.

The Taliban spokesperson previously declared that Nai, operating externally, lacks the legitimacy to comment on Afghan media affairs, thereby denying it official recognition.

Khilwatgar voiced his aspiration for Nai's future operations, contingent on positive developments in Afghanistan's political and social environment. He cited the challenging current political climate and unfavourable conditions in Afghanistan as the primary reasons for this pause in operations.

Following this announcement, Khilwatgar emphasised that no individual is authorised to represent Nai in Afghanistan, in either a real or nominal capacity.

In his address, Khilwatgar reflected on the ongoing hardships faced by Afghanistan. Nai, known for its advocacy and extensive reporting in support of journalists, has played a critical role in the Afghan media sector.

Post the Taliban's ascension to power in 2021, a significant number of media outlets ceased operations, and numerous journalists were forced to leave Afghanistan. Over the past two years, Nai has actively responded to instances of journalist detentions by the Taliban through official statements. Despite these challenges, Nai has maintained a non-confrontational stance towards the Taliban, referring to them as 'officials' in its communications.