Current Projects

Afghanistan’s Corruption Epidemic Is Wasting Billions in Aid

When I worked as an adviser to the Afghanistan government, even the smallest of infrastructure projects became politicised and overshadowed by corruption. When the ministry wanted to provide clean water to villagers, it was sometimes only possible if private companies belonging to local power brokers – usually MPs, district administrators or police chiefs – were given the construction contracts. If they didn’t win the bid, they would take their share through extortion. Sometimes, the ministry’s facilitating partners lost their machinery, or found them on fire while working on our road projects because they hadn’t paid a bribe to the armed groups that controlled the project area. My ministry, the ministry of rural development, was the most important arm of government. We were involved in nearly 35,000 of the roughly 40,000 villages across the country. In the process, we provided around 70% of Afghans with vital infrastructure, such as midwife clinics, schools, waterworks, bridges, roads, women’s training centres, or solar power projects. This was genuinely important work for genuinely needy people – and yet it was often disrupted by the corruption of the political class, who would, one way or another, find a way of getting their hands on the money. And where was the money was coming from? It came from the pockets of the taxpayers in EU, UK, US, Canada, and Australia. I have since left Afghanistan, but I was recently reminded of my former life when European leaders gathered in Brussels to give $3bn (£2.45bn) to Afghanistan. The UK alone announced £750m in aid for the coming three years. As a former government official, and a former UN staffer in Afghanistan, I have concerns about how this money will be spent. What safeguards are in place to ensure that the money benefits Afghans? Will a farmer in a remote village benefit from these donations after they seep through various corrupted layers of government? Will it help a deported asylum seeker to build a new life? I...

Afghanistan's Tribal Areas Are Still the Key to the War on Terror

On October 31, a suicide bomber killed six people and wounded six others at a meeting of tribal elders in the eastern province of Nangarhar in Afghanistan. Elders had gathered at a house to resolve internal disputes through a own traditional “jirga” (elders’ gathering). Suicide attacks have increasingly become a major weapon in the hands of terrorists. They cost little, cause huge damage and are difficult to trace and prevent. Moreover, such attacks attract high media attention, inflicting a large psychological impact both upon the masses and governments. Accordingly, suicide bombers have become a prime tool of terror for ISIS and the Taliban. These suicide bombers are mainly trained and indoctrinated in the sanctuaries that exist in the tribal areas, and attacks are launched in major cities on specified targets to create maximum impact. Today’s terrorism has become a dangerous “weapon of the weak.” Terrorists can organize, recruit, and carry out their attack, all while avoiding arrest or face-to-face conventional fighting. Accordingly, weak states and lawless, ungoverned areas serve as a base of operations for terrorist groups. A bloody zone of semi-autonomous anarchy, the tribal areas along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, also known as the tribal belt, has been lawless and ungoverned for centuries. Throughout history and particularly now, a decade and half after the invasion of U.S. forces, Afghanistan’s central government has failed to establish true popular legitimacy in the remote areas, which has weakened the notion of citizenship among the inhabitants, along with their trust and confidence in the government. Instead, tribal people have their own “customary law,” composed of traditional legal codes and legalistic institutionalized procedure aimed at protecting locals’ rights and maintaining cohesiveness and order. This law is efficiently practiced through certain codes and, for those living the remote tribal areas, is far better than the sluggish,...

Afghanistan’s Tribal Areas Are Still the Key to the War on Terror

On October 31, a suicide bomber killed six people and wounded six others at a meeting of tribal elders in the eastern province of Nangarhar in Afghanistan. Elders had gathered at a house to resolve internal disputes through a own traditional “jirga” (elders’ gathering). Suicide attacks have increasingly become a major weapon in the hands of terrorists. They cost little, cause huge damage and are difficult to trace and prevent. Moreover, such attacks attract high media attention, inflicting a large psychological impact both upon the masses and governments. Accordingly, suicide bombers have become a prime tool of terror for ISIS and the Taliban. These suicide bombers are mainly trained and indoctrinated in the sanctuaries that exist in the tribal areas, and attacks are launched in major cities on specified targets to create maximum impact. Today’s terrorism has become a dangerous “weapon of the weak.” Terrorists can organize, recruit, and carry out their attack, all while avoiding arrest or face-to-face conventional fighting. Accordingly, weak states and lawless, ungoverned areas serve as a base of operations for terrorist groups. A bloody zone of semi-autonomous anarchy, the tribal areas along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, also known as the tribal belt, has been lawless and ungoverned for centuries. Throughout history and particularly now, a decade and half after the invasion of U.S. forces, Afghanistan’s central government has failed to establish true popular legitimacy in the remote areas, which has weakened the notion of citizenship among the inhabitants, along with their trust and confidence in the government. Instead, tribal people have their own “customary law,” composed of traditional legal codes and legalistic institutionalized procedure aimed at protecting locals’ rights and maintaining cohesiveness and order. This law is efficiently practiced through certain codes and, for those living the remote tribal areas, is far better than the sluggish,...

Trust is Earned When Actions Replace Words

The extension of Afghan refugees repatriation by government of Pakistan till 31st has opened a new window of hope for Afghan Refugees, in order to plan and return back to their homeland. The people of Afghanistan are thankful for the warm welcome of the neighbor Muslim country (Pakistan). The current and former president of Afghanistan always appreciated the people and the government of Pakistan for their hospitality and support. The repatriation of Afghan Refugees is one of the priorities for both government. On the other hand, the returnees from Europe is also another milestone that the Afghan Government should deal with it with support of International community. The statistic from early September shows, more than 225,000 Afghan returned from Pakistan and 245,000 people become IDP’s this year. Many Afghans complained about the abuses and harassment of police but the officials in Pakistan refusing and denying their claims. During Afghan Delegates unofficial interaction with Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, a retired Lt. General, the same questions raised by Afghan delegation but again the claim was refused very aggressively. More than three decades Afghans are living in Pakistan and many of them are having well established businesses and contributing to the economy of Pakistan but it seems most of Afghan Businessman have serious challenges running their businesses, such as freezed bank accounts, sealed properties. In other word, their business operations are currently stopped. The practicality of the mechanism and designed procedure of repatriation is a question that both government should be hold accountable to answer. Or to make the question simple, “Who and how to ensure, the repatriation is dignified and respectful and to which address the serious issues must be shared”? During course of discussion with Pakistani delegation, the matter of border management was a serious topic for discussion but before stepping into this historical matter, a simple question is in...

$780 Billion US Dollars Later, the Taliban Is Gaining Ground in Afghanistan

Fifteen years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan to hunt down the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks; thirteen years after former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared an end to “major combat” there; five years after al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed; and two years after President Barack Obama announced that most American troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2016 (now 2017), the Taliban continues to claw its way back to power. If there is one thing that is certain in this tumultuous presidential election, it is this: Whoever replaces Obama will have to deal with the mess in Afghanistan that he leaves behind – the one he inherited from George W. Bush almost eight years ago and was unable to clean up. Billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent trying to build up an Afghan army and instill Western values in a hard-bitten land of warlords and tribal hostilities that has never been successfully controlled or changed by a foreign power. Now a new report by the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) that points to a resurgent Taliban and failing social programs – including improving the plight of Afghan women -- begs the question, “Why are we still there?” In its 33rdquarterly report to Congress, SIGAR says that “approximately 63.4% of the country's districts are under Afghan government control or influence as of August 28, 2016, a decrease from the 65.6% reported as of May 28, 2016.” A New York Times story last weekend was even more pointed. Citing UN data, it said that this year the Taliban has gained control of more territory than it has in 15 years. It also said that last week scores of Afghan soldiers surrendered and that September saw surrenders or defections by police officers who abandoned 20 outposts in Oruzgan province. Since 2002, SIGAR reported, the U.S. Congress has appropriated just over $115 billion to support Afghanistan “relief and reconstruction,” including almost $69 billion on security forces. SIGAR breaks...

EU Deportation of Migrants ‘Adds to Afghanistan's Instability’, Says UN

EU plans to deport Afghan asylum seekers will not only leave tens of thousands of migrants in despair in Afghanistan, but also undermine security in the war-torn country, a top UN human rights expert has warned. “Sending them back now clearly adds to instability,” Chaloka Beyani, UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said during a recent visit to Afghanistan. “These people cannot be absorbed into Afghan economic and social life. The government clearly says, ‘Look, we don’t have the capacity.’” This year, 411,327 Afghans have been newly displaced by the conflict, according to UN figures. Another 509,150 Afghans have been ordered to leave Pakistan, bringing the number of “people on the move” inside Afghanistan to almost 2 million, the highest since 2002. The recent EU deal with Afghanistan would put further pressure on the Afghan economy and labour market, strain resources and, according to analysts, might push young men into the ranks of the insurgents. To settle debts, or merely sustain themselves, some families have resorted to marrying off daughters at a young age, said Beyani. Even in urban areas that offer the most economic opportunities, life has become so precarious that residents have had to flee – sometimes more than once. Last year, when Afghan and international forces fought to push out the Taliban from the northern city of Kunduz, Aminullah, 58, hunkered down with his family. As airstrikes took place across the city for days on end, his 10-year-old daughter Bashira, who has Down’s syndrome, went into a state of shock. She did not recover after the family fled east to Takhar province, or when they returned to Kunduz two weeks later. When fighting erupted again last month, the family fled once more, this time to the capital. In camps in Kabul, assistance was scarce. The family of 11 slept under three blankets in a tent. Since last year, Bashira had not been able to walk, or utter more than a few words, said Aminullah....

EU Deportation of Migrants ‘Adds to Afghanistan’s Instability’, Says UN

EU plans to deport Afghan asylum seekers will not only leave tens of thousands of migrants in despair in Afghanistan, but also undermine security in the war-torn country, a top UN human rights expert has warned. “Sending them back now clearly adds to instability,” Chaloka Beyani, UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said during a recent visit to Afghanistan. “These people cannot be absorbed into Afghan economic and social life. The government clearly says, ‘Look, we don’t have the capacity.’” This year, 411,327 Afghans have been newly displaced by the conflict, according to UN figures. Another 509,150 Afghans have been ordered to leave Pakistan, bringing the number of “people on the move” inside Afghanistan to almost 2 million, the highest since 2002. The recent EU deal with Afghanistan would put further pressure on the Afghan economy and labour market, strain resources and, according to analysts, might push young men into the ranks of the insurgents. To settle debts, or merely sustain themselves, some families have resorted to marrying off daughters at a young age, said Beyani. Even in urban areas that offer the most economic opportunities, life has become so precarious that residents have had to flee – sometimes more than once. Last year, when Afghan and international forces fought to push out the Taliban from the northern city of Kunduz, Aminullah, 58, hunkered down with his family. As airstrikes took place across the city for days on end, his 10-year-old daughter Bashira, who has Down’s syndrome, went into a state of shock. She did not recover after the family fled east to Takhar province, or when they returned to Kunduz two weeks later. When fighting erupted again last month, the family fled once more, this time to the capital. In camps in Kabul, assistance was scarce. The family of 11 slept under three blankets in a tent. Since last year, Bashira had not been able to walk, or utter more than a few words, said Aminullah....

Between the Devil & Deep State

The devil’s disciples have descended on Balochistan with full force this year, their evil machinations on naked display in the gory games being played within the region’s strategic depths. While an emerging Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the recent assault on a police academy in Quetta, security officials believe that Lashkar-i-Jhangvi al-Alami (LJ-A) executed the carnage. In a series of terror attacks — including the targeting of Quetta’s Civil Hospital on Aug 8, which killed at least 70 lawyers — there is increasing evidence that banned militant outfits are not only emerging with new names, but are also expanding their scope of activities from sectarian attacks to targeting state institutions in a cross-border rage. These are ominous developments. Balochistan finds itself caught between the terrorist devils unleashed by dark elements of deep states within the region, their tentacles spreading far and wide. Our intelligence sleuths are convinced that those responsible for Quetta’s mayhem were sponsored and steered by the hostile intelligence agencies of some neighbouring countries. According to security officials investigating these attacks, local militant groups — especially Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) and its offshoot LJ-A, along with Jamaatul Ahrar — have developed a nexus with IS masterminds in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. Over the last five months, Uzbek, Tajik and Afghan nationals have been inducted as part of an orchestrated terror campaign. Let us examine the resurgence of LJ under the new brand of LJ-A. One of the deadliest sectarian militant outfits, it is affiliated with both the TTP and Al Qaeda. As part of a drive against banned outfits as stipulated in the National Action Plan, it was claimed that LJ stood completely eliminated following a police ‘encounter’ in Punjab on July 29, 2015, in which chief of the defunct outfit, Malik Ishaq, was killed along with four other key leaders. However, the lethal organisation...

Between the Devil & Deep State

The devil’s disciples have descended on Balochistan with full force this year, their evil machinations on naked display in the gory games being played within the region’s strategic depths. While an emerging Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the recent assault on a police academy in Quetta, security officials believe that Lashkar-i-Jhangvi al-Alami (LJ-A) executed the carnage. In a series of terror attacks — including the targeting of Quetta’s Civil Hospital on Aug 8, which killed at least 70 lawyers — there is increasing evidence that banned militant outfits are not only emerging with new names, but are also expanding their scope of activities from sectarian attacks to targeting state institutions in a cross-border rage. These are ominous developments. Balochistan finds itself caught between the terrorist devils unleashed by dark elements of deep states within the region, their tentacles spreading far and wide. Our intelligence sleuths are convinced that those responsible for Quetta’s mayhem were sponsored and steered by the hostile intelligence agencies of some neighbouring countries. According to security officials investigating these attacks, local militant groups — especially Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) and its offshoot LJ-A, along with Jamaatul Ahrar — have developed a nexus with IS masterminds in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. Over the last five months, Uzbek, Tajik and Afghan nationals have been inducted as part of an orchestrated terror campaign. Let us examine the resurgence of LJ under the new brand of LJ-A. One of the deadliest sectarian militant outfits, it is affiliated with both the TTP and Al Qaeda. As part of a drive against banned outfits as stipulated in the National Action Plan, it was claimed that LJ stood completely eliminated following a police ‘encounter’ in Punjab on July 29, 2015, in which chief of the defunct outfit, Malik Ishaq, was killed along with four other key leaders. However, the lethal organisation...

Afghanistan Tries to Clean Up Its Militias, Both Legal And Illegal

On the outskirts of a remote district in northern Afghanistan’s Takhar province, about 80 armed men gathered near the front line of a Taliban-controlled village, ready for battle. Half the fighters were members of the Afghan Local Police, a U.S.-backed militia supervised by the Afghan interior ministry. The others were guns for hire loyal to local power brokers, some of whom are paid with the proceeds from opium sales. For more than three hours the combined forces battled the Taliban in the Koka Bloq area of Eshkamesh district, killing several insurgents including Qari Omar, the top local Taliban official, according to government accounts of the July fighting. When the battle was over, the armed groups went their separate ways. But next time, the guns for hire and police could just as easily be shooting at each other. As Afghanistan tries to institute reforms in its security sector, it has struggled to bring order to the dizzying array of militias, irregular fighters, personal bodyguards and other armed groups that often fight the Taliban but also battle among themselves. In Takhar, which lies along the border with Tajikistan, local officials say influential figures have created several irregular armed groups to carry out private missions in various districts. They cultivate hashish, smuggle it and opium to Tajikistan and extort local farmers with ushr – an Islamic land tax usually levied only in times of economic crisis. Both the irregular militias and ALP units have been accused of robberies, killings, blackmail and forcing women into marriage, provincial officials say. “They have taken government weapons for their own benefit and have had several clashes over power, drug deals and other internal issues,” said the deputy governor of Takhar, Farid Zaki. A key driver of the conflict in Takhar is the poppy crop from which opium is produced, the main revenue source for Afghan armed groups, chiefly the Taliban. Local officials say poppy is smuggled into Takhar from...