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‘Afghan Girl’ Sharbat Gula Deported
Pakistani authorities deported Nat Geo’s famed ‘Afghan Girl’ Sharbat Gula on Tuesday, according to media reports. Quoting unnamed officials, the reports said Sharbat Gula was handed over to Afghan security personnel at the Torkham border after she refused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s offer to stay in Pakistan. She had pleaded guilty to six charges against her: illegal stay in Pakistan, forgery, cheating, tampering with documents and violation of the Nadra (National Database and Registration Authority) Act. A special anti-corruption and immigration court had ordered deportation of Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed ‘Afghan Girl’ whose 1985 photo in National Geographic magazine became a symbol of her country’s wars, after finding her guilty of illegally obtaining a Computerised National Identity Card. The court also sentenced her to 15-day imprisonment, along with fine. Sharbat Gula and the Afghan government, in an application submitted to the KP government, pleaded for her departure to Afghanistan on completion of her 15-day sentence on Nov 9. The decision of stopping her deportation was taken on Saturday by the provincial government on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan. However, she refused to stay in Pakistan. This article originally appeared in Dawn News, 09 November, 2016. Original link. Disclaimer: Views expressed in the article are not necessarily supported by CRSS.
Politicos Foresee Little Change in US Policy
Panama leaks, newsleak, political wrangling and slanging matches — Pakistan’s mainstream political parties have been too taken up with domestic issues to worry about who will succeed President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. Small political groups are least concerned if American voters will elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. The apparent indifference of Pakistani politicians could partly be attributed to evolving geopolitical realignments in the region and dwindling largess of the United States the country used to depend on. Pakistan appears to have slid down the priority list of the American administration due to its budding diplomatic romance with India. Nonetheless, second-tier leaders of mainstream parties weighed in on the US presidential vote when approached by The Express Tribune. Hillary is a known name in Pakistan, especially for the political elite, Trump, on the other hand, is a political novice, better known for his rhetoric during what is being dubbed ‘the dirtiest US presidential campaign of all time’. The government and the opposition, which seldom have convergence of views on domestic issues, agree that the situation in Afghanistan and its overriding effects on Pakistan and counterterrorism campaign would play a key role in shaping up the policy of whoever steps into Obama’s shoes. Needless to say, regional realignment would also be factored in. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, who has served as Pakistan’s Ambassador in Washington, says the manifestos of both Democrats and Republicans spell out somewhat different approaches vis-à-vis Pakistan. The Republicans promise more engagement with Pakistan while the Democrats tend to continue with the current policies. “Unless there are changes made by the personalities of the President, both would have more or less the same policy towards South Asia,” Sherry says. She believes both parties would continue to view America’s...
The US presidential election: Triumph of rhetoric
The unthinkable has happened in the US Presidential elections. The world plunged in a shock over the results of the US election giving Donald Trump the right to occupy the White House for the next four years as President. Now it maybe unproductive to debate whether he should have been elected or not. It is also immaterial to think whether a person like him represented the values of American society as advocated globally by the past 44 US presidents and their governments across party divide. The crucial issue is how the world would react to this stunning development after initial shock. Candidate Trump spoke against almost all the US allies and condemned the Obama foreign policy initiatives. He shocked Muslims insisting first a complete ban on their visit to the US and later relenting to special interviews before issuing them visas. For him, each Muslim was an Islamist and a potential threat to America. He praised the Russian President and his way of governance. For him, the Russian adventures in Ukraine and Syria were not intimidating. He said that “ I don’t expect to see Putin in Mexico, therefore why should I be in the Ukraine? We need to get along with Russia to beat Islamists”. Europe may find his victory more shocking than Brexit. His views about NATO are no less than a death warrant. He threatened to pull out from NATO. Similarly, South Korea, Japan and Singapore will feel the punch if they are to fend for their security on their own How President Trump will handle the issues of Syria, continued instability in Iraq and Afghanistan? How will he handle China, India, Pakistan and Iran? Trump was confident that he would take care of Syria? On China, he has been very vocal and threatening. India fascinated him but he lampooned it too. The worst is that no one knows for sure what are his views regarding nuclear disarmament and the agreement already entered with the Russia and how would he co-opt China in the future regulatory framework? In his victory speech,...
Callousness or incompetence?
Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed Afghan refugee girl shot to fame in 1985 when her picture appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine. Like many countless other displaced persons she had to endure endless agony and suffering in her troubled life as a refugee. Sharbat Gula’s father and mother both got killed by Soviet warplanes bombs while she was a child of six or seven years. Having lost her husband due to Hepatitis C, she also had to find means of supporting her three orphan children. Her travails never seemed to end. Having sought shelter in Pakistan in the early 1980s, most Afghan refugees including Sharbat Gula have been travelling back and forth between K-P and their villages in Afghanistan — for meeting relatives, looking after their lands etc. Because it was not possible to either seek employment or engage in any trade or business or open a bank account without possessing a Pakistani Identity card, many Afghans resorted to acquiring such identity cards in order to be able to live in this country with their families . Under the existing law Afghan refugees having lived here for more than three decades can not be forcibly repatriated. Under the Citizenship Act all those who have lived here for so long have become entitled to citizenship of this country. Under section 4 of the Citizenship Act of 1951 those born on Pakistani territory acquire citizenship automatically. In addition, Afghan refugees have also the protection of the Naturalisation Act of 1926 which confers the right of citizenship by naturalisation on those having lived here for such a long time. There are other provisions in law which would entitle any refugee having lived here peacefully for so long, to have the right to obtain Pakistani citizenship. Such Afghan refugees then have the right to obtain Pakistani Identity cards and thousands have availed themselves of this facility because there were huge obstacles that could only be overcome if one possessed some sort of Pakistani identity....
A Template for a Peace Deal in Afghanistan
Summary Of the many challenges awaiting the next U.S. president, winding down four decades of war in Afghanistan will certainly be one of the most complex. Recent developments, however, offer some insight into what a lasting peace deal might look like. Though the path to end the Afghan conflict will no doubt be long and treacherous, Kabul's newfound willingness to explore other means of negotiating with the Taliban — and the militants' willingness to parley without Pakistan by their side — have begun to spur the process forward. Analysis On April 27, 1978, a group of communist officers in the Afghan army fired the opening shots of a conflict that continues to this day. The coup that ousted and killed then-President Mohammad Daud Khan triggered the chain of events that gave rise to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the ensuing civil war and, eventually, the Taliban. Now, little by little, a deal to bring an end to Afghanistan's decadeslong conflict has begun to take shape. A little over a month ago, the Afghan government struck the first major peace deal of the war with a small militant outfit known as Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin. The group agreed to lay down its weapons in exchange for amnesty and a place in Afghan politics. Kabul's decision to pardon the group's members and its leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (whose brutal tactics during the Afghan civil war earned him the nickname "The Butcher of Kabul"), has created controversy to say the least. Yet it is just one of the many concessions the Afghan government will need to make to achieve a lasting peace. And, should the deal prove successful, it could give authorities a template to use in reeling in a much larger foe: the Taliban. Waging War, Testing Peace The Taliban's recent battlefield victories might seem to suggest that the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are dim. In October alone, the group conducted a spate of attacks across the country, striking Kunduz in the north, Lashkar Gah in the south and Farah in...
US-Afghan Relations to Remain Strong As Americans Elect New Leader
The presidential election in United States will not affect the policies of Washington in Afghanistan and the bilateral pacts available between the two countries. The US Ambassador to Afghanistan Michael McKinley made the remarks earlier this morning as the US Embassy hosted several Afghan journalists as the American nation started voting for the next US President. “Today I was asked many times what the impacts of these elections would be on US-Afghanistan relations and my answer is always the same, America’s long term commitment to our partnership with Afghanistan was renewed this year in Warsaw and Brussels. The US Afghan relationship will remain strong and and close because it is based not anyone election, leader or party on our common interests, our people to people ties, our shared values that so deeply rooted,” Ambassador McKinely said. He also added that a new administration will take shape but “you can be assured that Afghanistan will remain at the highest levels of our foreign policy agenda.” The Republican candidate Donald Trump was elected the new US President after he recived the required 270 electoral votes to be declared the winner of the elections. Trump started to receive more votes as polling started across the US earlier today and received 278 electoral votes while Clinton received 218 electoral votes. Trump promised to be president for all Americans as he declared his victory in the election, insisting that ‘it’s time for us to come together’. “We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict,” Trump said, adding that “we will get along with other nations willing to get along with us.” The Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton in a Twitter post said “Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.” This article originally appeared on www.khaama.com, 09 November, 2016. Original link. Disclaimer: Views expressed in the article are not necessarily supported by CRSS.
Why The Future of Afghanistan Still Matters
This past September, we observed the fifteenth anniversary of one of the worst terrorist attacks in American history. On what we now call Patriot Day, the observance of the 9/11 anniversary, we remember that fateful day by honoring the lives of our fallen brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and children who were taken from us by pure evil. We celebrate our nation’s patriotism and reflect on how that day forever changed our lives, our country, and our world. One thing we have seemingly forgotten, however, is the war in Afghanistan; a conflict that began fifteen years ago and currently stands as the longest conflict in American history. Yet, it seems the war we engaged in and fought in to avenge the 9/11 attack has slipped from the consciousness of our political debate and public attention. As the 2016 election draws to a close, I am saddened by the fact that our sacrifices in Afghanistan, past, present and future, haven’t been discussed by the presidential candidates. Even more alarming is that, to date, neither candidate has mentioned condolences of the five American lives lost in Afghanistan in the last four weeks. Whether the candidates believe it or not, the future of Afghanistan will continue to be a key national security concern and should certainly be a priority for our next Commander-in-Chief. From the onset, our military achieved a swift victory in Afghanistan with the overthrow of the Taliban, putting Al Qaeda on the run, and ensuring the beginning of a democratic future for the Afghan people. We have achieved great things in Afghanistan since the end of the Taliban’s rule, such as helping Afghan children. Before we arrived, fewer than one million children went to school and only 5,000 or so were girls. Today, nearly six million Afghan children are in school and one third of them are girls. They are free to roam the streets and go to school without the threat of retribution by Muslim extremists. As a current major of the United States Air Force, Air...
Afghans Weigh In On US Presidential Candidates
The outcome of the US presidential election has a far-reaching impact, and in Afghanistan's capital, some have definite ideas about who they would like to see in office: Republican nominee Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. This is the country where America's longest war has been playing out since 2001. It's where US drones and NATO air strikes kill al-Qaeda targets and civilians alike. It is also where a US troop withdrawal has resulted in increased Taliban attacks and rising civilian casualties. The choice between the candidates has left some puzzled - but then, there's a saying in these parts: When ones lives in the world of the blind, the man with one eye is king. Still, for Afghans, what Americans decide on the other side of the world could have life or death consequences. "Unfortunately, we seem lost in this election. Neither candidate seems to have a plan for Afghanistan," said Bashir Ahmad Qasani, who covers politics for Afghanistan's 1TV. "The American elections are quite important for us - and It's worrying for us. Why is it that for 14 or 15 years, their longest war, has been taking place here but is forgotten?" asked Qasani. He said the hope is that the Democrats stay in power, because at least under President Barack Obama, they have decided to delay total troop withdrawal and are supporting Afghan troops. "Trump, as a candidate, is fascinating for Afghans - he's unreal. I've never covered a candidate like him. And yet, with two or three days left to the elections, it seems that he's getting close to Clinton in polls and could be equal." The closeness of the race is making some nervous here, especially given some of Trump's statements on wanting to prevent Muslims from entering the US, or adding them to a watchlist. "What he's saying will be bad for Muslims in America and bad for Islam," said Dean Mohamad, 20, supervisor of a sporting goods store. Kabul social science major Ahmad Reza, 22, called Trump "hateful" and "dangerous", saying...
Afghanistan In Focus: EASO Publishes A Country of Origin Information Report On Security Situation In Afghanistan
Today, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) Report entitled ‘Afghanistan security situation’. The report is a second update of the version first published in February 2015 and provides a comprehensive overview of the security situation in Afghanistan, information relevant for the protection status determination of Afghan asylum seekers. Until the end of September 2016, Afghanistan ranked 2nd in the top countries of origin in EU+ countries (1 ), with more than 153,000 applicants. In addition, the Afghan applications constitute the largest backlog of all countries of origin. By the end of September 2016, there were more than 230,000 pending asylum applications from Afghan nationals in the EU+. This COI report represents a second update on the security situation in Afghanistan (2). The report was co-drafted by researchers from the national asylum authorities of Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary and Poland in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology. Researchers from Greece and Slovakia did supportive research and the report was reviewed and commented upon by COI researchers from Austria, Canada, EASO, Finland, Ireland and UNHCR. The ‘Afghanistan security situation’ report provides a general description of the security situation in Afghanistan, covering the following topics: a brief historic overview; actors in the conflict; security trends and armed confrontations, description of tactics and arms used; state ability to secure law and order; impact of the violence on the civilian population; and the geographical overview of the security situation. The report also provides a description of the security situation for each of the 34 provinces and Kabul City. In these chapters, a general overview of the province is given, followed by a background on the conflict and actors in the province, and recent security trends including data on violent incidents, and qualitative information on the type of violence....
500,000 People Displaced Due To Recent Violence: UN
A new UN report indicates that nearly half a million Afghans have been displaced in the past ten months due to the recent surge in violence. The report illustrates that the majority of those displaced are from war-hit regions such as Kunduz, Uruzgan and Helmand provinces. In addition many are dealing with food shortages. The United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMA) has said that 56 percent of those displaced are children and teenagers, 23 percent are men and 22 percent women. The majority of those displaced belong to Kunduz, Uruzgan, Helmand and Faryab provinces, the report stated. The conflict in Kunduz province has also largely contributed to this problem and many displaced residents from this northern province have sought refuge in Kabul city. Concerns have also been raised as winter fast approaches. "I don't have a husband and sought refuge in Kabul with my five children. (We been here) for forty days. We do not have food to eat or a house to live in; we are looking for a place to live. Everyday life becomes harder for us. I have come to the department of refugees for twenty days to ask for some help, but I get nothing," said one Kunduz resident, Benazir. "I was in class 9 in Kunduz before the war, but I was deprived of an education after coming to Kabul. We have no food to eat or place to live," said another displaced person from Kunduz, Baz Mohammad. "We have lived in a rented house for forty days and life is quite hard for us," another displaced resident, Kamila, said. "We accompanied three families from Kunduz and came here to Kabul," said another resident, Abdul Hai. In the meantime, government has been criticized over its inability to address the problems of these refugees "Internally displaced families do not have good living conditions; half of them have not been given aid; government's financial resources are also not enough to address the problems of the displaced families, (especially) before winter," sociologist Hadi Meeran said. The...
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I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.