Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force says intelligence it shared with the US and Sri Lanka helped dismantle an international drug-trafficking network linked to Afghanistan and seize 671kg of methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million.
On Friday, 4 September, the agency said 200kg of methamphetamine was discovered in a container at Karachi port and that a man identified as Ehsanullah, an Afghan citizen, was arrested on suspicion of leading the network. Several local associates were also detained.
Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force said that after questioning Ehsanullah, it shared important intelligence with Sri Lankan authorities and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to the agency, the information led to the discovery of another 471kg of methamphetamine.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration subsequently carried out a joint operation with Sri Lankan authorities at the Port of Colombo, where 471kg of methamphetamine concealed among cargo shipments was seized.
Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force said the network had attempted to use Pakistani territory as a transit route to smuggle drugs to other countries. It added that Pakistan is both a transit route and a victim of narcotics originating in Afghanistan.
Two days earlier, Sri Lankan police and the US Embassy in Colombo had also announced the dismantling of a drug-trafficking network and the seizure of nearly half a ton of methamphetamine in a joint operation.
However, they described the network as Pakistani and said two Pakistani men had been arrested.
The US Embassy in Colombo said the seized drugs were worth $21 million and were intended to be trafficked through Sri Lanka to international markets.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami, has urged members and supporters of his party to cut ties with those who support the Taliban. He said anyone who has joined the Taliban administration or other groups should sever links with Hezb-e Islami.
In a message addressed to all sincere and committed members of Hezb-e Islami, Hekmatyar called on party members to end organisational ties with anyone who supports or praises the policies of the monarchy, Mohammad Daoud Khan’s government, the communists, Jamiat-e Islami, Shura-e Nazar, the Taliban or other political movements.
Hekmatyar also called on members who have joined those groups to distance themselves from Hezb-e Islami.
Addressing them directly, he said stand sincerely with those groups and stop using the name of Hezb-e Islami.
However, a Hezb-e Islami member who asked not to be named told Afghanistan International that Hekmatyar’s message was aimed specifically at the Taliban.
The party member said some Hezb-e Islami members had, for various reasons, supported Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the group’s policies.
He added that Hekmatyar’s message meant those people had to choose between membership in Hezb-e Islami and support for the Taliban: “Either be Taliban or be Hezb-e Islami.”
The party member said Hezb-e Islami members had not supported Shura-e Nazar or communist movements and that, in his view, Hekmatyar’s references to those groups were mainly intended to set out the party’s broader position towards past and present political movements.
He stressed that this message is directed at those who support the Taliban.
Hezb-e Islami and the Taliban were both military and political opponents of Afghanistan’s former government and of the presence of US forces in the country. Hekmatyar, however, signed a peace agreement with the former Afghan government after years of opposition and armed activity.
Some Hezb-e Islami members joined the Taliban after the group returned to power. Several prominent Taliban figures also have a background in Hezb-e Islami.
In recent years, Hekmatyar has repeatedly criticised Taliban policies. He has particularly criticised the concentration of power, restrictions imposed on citizens and the Taliban’s governance of Afghanistan and has called for elections to determine the country’s future government.
After the Taliban intensified restrictions on him, Hekmatyar left Afghanistan and has been living in Malaysia in recent months.
The Taliban has revoked the licences of political parties and barred citizens and political leaders from political activity.
Dozens of experts and political activists at a conference in Peshawar called for the immediate reopening of Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossings, saying trade should be separated from political and security tensions.
The one-day conference, titled “Beyond Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict: Advancing Regional Peace and Mutual Understanding”, was held on Thursday by the University of Peshawar’s Centre for Area Studies in cooperation with Aspire KP.
Former senator and Pakistani politician Mushahid Hussain, Afrasiab Khattak and Arbab Shuja were among the prominent participants.
The conference discussed security, border and trade issues, as well as ways to reduce tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Arbab Shuja, head of Aspire KP, told Afghanistan International that although there were problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan, solutions had to be found to end the current situation. He said that despite the extensive ties between the peoples of the two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan still did not understand each other well and needed more dialogue to resolve misunderstandings.
Shuja said security, border and trade issues should be addressed through dialogue and that both sides should work towards greater mutual understanding and lasting solutions.
“We cannot change our neighbour,” he said, adding that Afghanistan and Pakistan should focus on finding ways to cooperate and coexist peacefully rather than trying to change each other.
The head of Aspire KP also stressed China’s role in reducing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, saying Beijing could play an important role in bringing the two sides closer and mediating their disputes because of its relations with both countries.
His remarks come as China’s special envoy for Afghanistan is in Pakistan for talks with Pakistani officials on Afghanistan and regional issues.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry says Chinese mediation is important for improving relations with the Taliban, but such efforts will not succeed unless the Taliban changes its approach towards Pakistani militants.
The ministry has called on the Taliban to take practical and visible action to prevent attacks by Pakistani militants.
Trade Should Not Be a Victim of Security Disputes
Shuja said the prolonged closure of trade crossings and continuing tensions had seriously harmed people on both sides of the Durand Line, with ordinary people and traders suffering the greatest losses.
He stressed that trade should be separated from security issues and that security disputes should not be resolved at the expense of people’s livelihoods. He said trade routes should be reopened as soon as possible.
Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban administration have become severely strained in recent months. Border clashes have closed major trade crossings, including Torkham and Spin Boldak, effectively bringing trade between the two countries to a halt.
In response to the tensions, the Taliban administration has banned imports of some Pakistani goods, including medicines, and has turned to India to meet part of its needs.
The Canadian government has issued a strong warning urging its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan, saying the security situation remains highly volatile and dangerous.
In its latest travel advisory, Canada said people already in Afghanistan should exercise caution if they need to move to a safer location and should review their personal security plans.
The Canadian government also warned that foreign nationals and people with links to Western countries face risks of kidnapping and violence by terrorist groups, as well as a heightened risk of arbitrary detention by Taliban authorities.
It said the risk is particularly high for people who had links to the former Afghan government or who are seen as having violated Taliban rules.
According to the advisory, Taliban authorities may accuse foreign nationals, including dual Afghan and foreign citizens, of espionage.
Humanitarian workers and journalists are among those whose activities and movements may be monitored, the advisory said.
Canada warned that people who come under suspicion from Taliban authorities may have their passports confiscated and could be arbitrarily detained for extended periods.
The advisory also said Canadian citizens have previously been detained in Afghanistan and, in some cases, denied access to Canadian consular officials, family members or lawyers.
In another section, the Canadian government said the terrorist threat remains present across Afghanistan, including Kabul and other major cities, and that attacks could occur at any time.
The advisory said terrorist groups remain active in Afghanistan and may target foreigners, security and defence personnel, NGO workers, journalists and media staff, health workers and other civilians.
Canada also warned that criminal groups carrying out kidnappings for ransom may sell hostages to terrorist organisations, potentially leaving victims in captivity for years.
According to the advisory, terrorist and criminal groups may establish fake checkpoints and roadblocks to carry out robberies, kidnappings or other violent attacks.
The Canadian government also warned against travel to tourist and remote areas of Afghanistan, saying that even organised tours run by reputable companies do not eliminate the risks.
Warning About the Situation of Women
Canada’s travel advisory includes a separate section on women, saying they face particular risks of harassment and abuse, including at the hands of the Taliban.
The Canadian government stressed that its embassy in Afghanistan remains suspended and that Ottawa’s ability to provide consular services and other assistance to Canadian citizens in the country is extremely limited.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it recorded at least 30 incidents of Taliban interference with humanitarian activities in the past month, including the detention of two aid workers in Herat.
In a report issued on Thursday, 3 September, OCHA said it recorded 16 incidents involving restrictions on humanitarian access in July, 12 cases of violence against staff or interference with aid organisations’ assets and facilities, and two restrictions on aid workers’ movement.
OCHA said most of the incidents occurred in southern and western Afghanistan.
Of the 16 cases involving interference in humanitarian activities, four concerned delays or difficulties in signing memorandums of understanding, while three involved interferences in the selection of aid recipients. The report added that the Taliban interfered with the implementation of humanitarian programmes on three occasions.
According to the report, the Taliban asked humanitarian organisations for staff lists and other sensitive information in two cases. OCHA also recorded interference in staff recruitment, requirements for female employees to be accompanied by a mahram, restrictions on the participation of female aid workers and obstruction of access for people seeking assistance.
The United Nations said Taliban restrictions involving memorandums of understanding had negatively affected humanitarian activities in Balkh, Faryab, Jowzjan and Kandahar.
OCHA said discussions with Taliban officials were continuing in several cases in an effort to resolve the problems.
The UN office also reported 11 gender-based restrictions imposed by the Taliban in July. According to OCHA, these measures affected both humanitarian operations and vulnerable communities.
The United Nations said last month that Taliban interference and restrictions on humanitarian activities in June had risen by 50 per cent compared with the previous month. It said at least 21 humanitarian activities were suspended as a result, disrupting aid delivery in affected areas.
The report said the Taliban had initially authorised women in Uruzgan to take part in data collection but withdrew the permission before the process began. OCHA said Uruzgan was the only province covered by the initiative, and permission for women’s participation was revoked at the last moment.
According to the report, 18 incidents resulted in the temporary suspension of humanitarian programmes, while two led to the temporary closure of aid offices.
OCHA said 11 of the incidents had been resolved by the end of July, while 19 remained unresolved.
Regionally, southern Afghanistan recorded the highest number of incidents, with nine, followed by the west with eight, the east with four and the north with three. The central and north-eastern regions each recorded two incidents.
OCHA said the figures showed continuing challenges to humanitarian access, including Taliban interference, restrictions on women’s participation, programme approvals, staff movement and the safety of aid workers.
The Taliban’s Security and Clearance Affairs Commission says it held a meeting chaired by Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid to assess Afghanistan’s security situation, which the group described as reassuring.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 2 September, the commission said reports from provincial security and clearance commissions across Afghanistan were also reviewed, and the overall security situation was considered satisfactory and reassuring.
The meeting also stressed coordination between the Taliban’s security and civilian institutions to improve operations and the delivery of services.
The Taliban’s Security and Clearance Affairs Commission is responsible for assessing the security situation and reviewing the performance of the group’s forces in different provinces.
Despite Taliban claims that nationwide security has been established, international reports and figures indicate that security threats, particularly the activities of opposition groups and terrorist attacks, remain serious challenges in Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said at a press conference on Wednesday that the group’s Defence Ministry had carried out 602 independent and joint operations with the Interior Ministry and intelligence agency this year. He claimed the operations had disrupted complex enemy plots and dismantled opposition hideouts and networks.
Mujahid did not provide details about the groups involved, where the operations took place or the nature of the security threats. However, armed groups opposing the Taliban have expanded their attacks across Afghanistan in recent months.
The Afghanistan United Front previously said it had carried out at least 43 operations against the Taliban in 14 provinces over the past month. The group claimed that 74 Taliban members were killed and 35 others wounded.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front has also said it expanded its armed operations against the Taliban to eight provinces during the previous Afghan month and carried out at least 21 guerrilla and front-line operations. It claimed that at least 65 Taliban members were killed and around 90 others wounded.