Afghan Women Face Major Barriers To Healthcare, Says UN Rapporteur

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan said the government has not explained to the public or lawmakers the impact of Middle East tensions on Pakistan’s economy.

He said: “If some matters cannot be discussed publicly, at least they should be explained in closed parliamentary sessions so representatives understand the country’s real situation.”

Fazl ur Rehman added that economic pressure on Afghanistan through border closures has not worked.

He said Afghanistan has found alternative trade routes with Central Asia, while India continues trade with East and South Asia, but “we have closed our own trade routes”.

Referring to the closure of Pakistan’s main borders with Afghanistan and India, he said: “We have closed both borders, and now we cannot trade with the West or the East.”

Following rising tensions between Kabul and Islamabad in October last year, Pakistan closed eight border crossings with Afghanistan, disrupting trade and movement of goods.

The Taliban later gave traders three months to settle contracts in Pakistan and shift to other routes.

They have since reduced trade dependence on Pakistan, increasing transit through Iran and Central Asia.

Earlier, Pakistan’s central bank reported that trade with Afghanistan had fallen by about 60% over the past seven months.

Fazl ur Rehman also said fuel prices have risen in Pakistan, and that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz under Pakistan’s flag have not lowered costs.

OCHA said on Monday, April 6, that although access is technically possible via a road through Nari district in Kunar, it remains unusable for civilians and aid agencies because of cross-border gunfire.

A Taliban provincial spokesperson in Nuristan had earlier confirmed the shooting along this route.

OCHA warned that with roads effectively closed, residents cannot reach markets or health services and face severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

Local elders and residents of Kamdesh and Barg-e Matal told Afghanistan International that for about a month, cross-border fire by Pakistani forces has cut them off from the provincial center, leaving them without essential supplies.

They said repeated appeals to Taliban authorities have not led to concrete action and warned they may seek assistance from Pakistani forces if the situation continues.

Zain-ul-Abedeen Abed, the Taliban governor of Nuristan, said last week that work is under way to establish alternative routes for travel and aid delivery to the affected districts.

Deputy Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said on Monday that Akhundzada delivered the remarks during a reform and training workshop for Hajj guides in the southern zone.

He instructed guides to raise awareness of Islamic teachings among the public and emphasised the need to guide pilgrims properly.

Akhundzada also called on Hajj guides to keep pilgrims away from “abominable acts and corruption” and to ensure that all Hajj rituals are performed in accordance with Islamic law.

This marks the first time since Eid prayers that the Taliban leader has appeared at a public event and delivered a speech.

His remarks come despite recent crises, including natural disasters that have reportedly killed at least 100 people in the past two weeks, as well as ongoing clashes with Pakistan that have displaced thousands and resulted in more than 800 deaths, issues he did not address in his speech.

Local elders and residents in Nari district of Kunar and Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal districts of Nuristan said on Monday that after clashes with Pakistani forces in border areas, Taliban forces abandoned the outposts and took shelter in village mosques.

The abandoned posts are located in the Bari Kot area of Nari district in Kunar, as well as in Barg-e-Matal and Kamdesh in Nuristan, where Taliban and Pakistani forces are positioned in close proximity.

A tribal elder in Kunar said that as clashes intensified and Pakistani forces targeted Bari Kot, Taliban fighters, along with local residents, left the area, leaving the posts empty.

Aid agencies and Bakhtar News Agency reported on Sunday that thousands of families have fled from Nari district to Asadabad, the provincial capital, due to the fighting.

Residents of Nuristan say that key routes linking Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal through Nari have been blocked, disrupting food supplies and civilian movement. They added that Pakistani forces are firing from elevated positions at vehicles, effectively closing the roads.

Some tribal elders have accused the Taliban of failing to ensure security and spreading misinformation, claiming the group travels by helicopter to district centers to create the impression of a presence in border areas.

Residents say that for nearly a month, roads in eastern Nuristan, especially in Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal, have remained closed due to ongoing clashes and Pakistani attacks.

They warn that food shortages have become severe, with some residents saying supplies have already run out and that if the situation continues, they may be forced to seek help from Pakistani forces.

Fereydoun Samim, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Nuristan, confirmed earlier that Pakistani forces have been targeting vehicles attempting to enter Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal, leading to the closure of routes.

Nuristan province lies in north-eastern Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan to the east and south, with eastern Nuristan referring mainly to valleys and districts close to the border.

FAO said that while rainfall benefits crop growth, heavy downpours increase the risk of flooding in urban and rural areas, potentially damaging farms, infrastructure and vulnerable livelihoods.

It added that below-average temperatures and sub-zero conditions in highland areas are putting pressure on crops and livestock, with a risk of frost affecting parts of the north-east, east and central provinces.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Meteorology Department has warned of heavy rain and possible flooding in 32 provinces. Forecasts indicate rain across most of the country on Tuesday, except Farah and Nimroz.

Strong winds of 50 to 85 km/h are also expected in eastern, central, southern and south-eastern areas, along with snowfall in colder and mountainous regions. Rainfall is predicted to range between 10 and 65 millimeters.

Since March 26, Afghanistan has experienced widespread rain, flooding and snowfall. The Taliban’s disaster management authority reported 99 deaths and 154 injuries during this period.

According to the authority, 955 homes were completely destroyed and nearly 4,000 partially damaged, while floods have also destroyed hundreds of kilometers of roads and agricultural land.

Although the rainfall has raised hopes of easing drought conditions, it has also caused significant damage.