Indian Investors Plan To Invest In Panjshir Mines, Says Taliban

During a UN Security Council session on Afghanistan on 10 March, Harish stated that India is closely monitoring the situation and engaging with the Taliban regime on bilateral issues. He highlighted the “special people-to-people ties” as the foundation of India’s current engagement with Afghanistan.

Harish pointed to the meeting between India’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Vikram Misri, and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai on 8 January. He said the discussions covered bilateral relations and regional developments.

He noted that Taliban’s representatives appreciated India’s continued support. As a result, India is now considering new development projects, alongside its ongoing humanitarian efforts.

Harish reaffirmed India’s longstanding ties with Afghanistan. He said India remains committed to humanitarian assistance and supports international efforts for stability in Afghanistan.

Since August 2021, India has provided 27 tons of relief materials, 50,000 tons of wheat, 40,000 litres of pesticides and over 300 tons of medicine and medical equipment.

India has also collaborated with UNODC to support drug addicts, particularly women. Since 2022, it has supplied 11,000 hygiene kits ,baby food, clothing, and medical aid and over 30 tons of social support items.

India is strengthening ties with the Taliban. It plans to hand over Afghanistan’s embassy in Delhi to Taliban representatives and has accepted some Taliban diplomats.

Saraj told Afghanistan International that Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada suspects Haqqani and several officials of plotting a coup. He believes foreign countries may have backed the alleged plot.

To counter the threat, Akhundzada has stripped Haqqani of his powers and transferred his authority to Deputy Interior Minister Ibrahim Sadr. Similarly, Mullah Yaqub, the Defence Minister, has been sidelined. His powers were handed to Qayyum Zakir, a close ally of Akhundzada.

Saraj said Akhundzada has placed his loyalists in key institutions in Kabul. He also imposed foreign travel restrictions on Taliban officials, allowing trips only with his approval.

According to Saraj, Haqqani fled from Saudi Arabia to Khost and then Pakistan. He is now moving between North Waziristan and Khost.

In another move, Akhundzada dismissed Khost’s police chief, the brother of Haqqani’s deputy, Nabi Omari. Saraj claims Haqqani sees this as a direct threat and no longer feels safe.

Sources told Afghanistan International that Akhundzada has deployed special forces from Kandahar to Kabul. A Taliban unit is now stationed at Kabul airport.

Tensions within the Taliban have escalated due to international pressure on Akhundzada’s policies. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested an arrest warrant for Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

Some Taliban officials, including Abbas Stanekzai, have warned that Akhundzada’s hardline stance is blocking international recognition. Frustrated Taliban figures have considered leadership changes, but Akhundzada has further consolidated power and sidelined internal rivals.

On Monday night, during evening prayers, the Taliban expelled women from several mosques in Kandahar.

Women in Herat also reported that since the start of Ramadan, the Taliban have blocked their access to mosques. They said that morality police now stand at mosque entrances, preventing them from attending Tarawih prayers.

Previously, women in Herat and other provinces were able to pray in mosques during Ramadan without restrictions.

Sources from Kandahar’s second district confirmed that on Monday night, the Taliban expelled women from Haji Abdullah Mina Mosque. The group also warned women not to return for prayers.

Many families in Herat and Kandahar condemned the Taliban’s actions. They called it an act of discrimination and hatred toward women.

These restrictions contradict the Taliban’s repeated claims that they respect women’s rights under Islamic law. Despite international pressure, the group continues to tighten restrictions on women across Afghanistan.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Iravani made these remarks on Monday during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

He emphasised that Iran’s policy towards Afghan refugees and migrants remains unchanged and is based on humanitarian principles. He noted that Iran has hosted millions of Afghans for over four decades. He stated that the situation worsened following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, placing additional strain on Iran.

Iravani reiterated that legal Afghan migrants in Iran do not face restrictions. He said Iranian consulates issue 5,000 visas daily to Afghan nationals.

Addressing the deportation of Afghan migrants, Iravani stated that those repatriated had entered Iran illegally. He cited security concerns, including terrorism threats, as the reason for Iran’s continued deportations of undocumented migrants.

He called on international organisations to assist Tehran in managing the Afghan migrant crisis. He stressed that neighbouring countries like Iran and Pakistan cannot bear this responsibility alone and need continuous and meaningful support.

Iravani urged the international community to take concrete actions rather than relying on rhetoric.

His remarks come as Iran has intensified deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants over the past year, with thousands expelled daily.

The individuals received between 15 and 39 lashes. They were also given prison terms ranging from 8 months to 2 years.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Taliban Supreme Court said two people were flogged 35 times each, while two others received 20 and 15 lashes. The remaining two were whipped 39 times.

The Taliban carried out the punishment publicly, in front of local officials, employees, and residents.