In a blunt message to Pakistan, the United States has said that continued existence of terror safe havens in the country and its inability to take action against them affects their bilateral ties including security assistance.
'Afghanistan cannot be at peace until the Pashtuns regain their pre-eminent role in the country's governance,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
At a time when no Test playing nation including minnows Bangladesh is willing to visit Pakistan because of security concerns, the Afghanistan cricket team has reached Lahore for a four week stay.
Afghanistan's participation in next month's T20 World Cup is becoming a matter of intrigue after Taliban's takeover of the strife-torn country.
During the meetings, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Special Envoy on Afghanistan and Pakistan S K Lambah and the top US officials discussed the progress made in Afghanistan so far and how the two countries can work together to achieve their common objective of defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban, and help in the emergence of a stable and democratic Afghanistan.
The US intelligence community assesses that the Taliban leader Mullah Omar is now dead, although the circumstances of his death is not yet clear, the White House has said.
If the ruling BJP stresses on Hindu nationalist themes ahead of the general election in May, there will be communal violence'
It will be a David versus Goliath battle at the R Premadasa Stadium on Friday when defending champions England launch their World Twenty20 campaign against Afghanistan, who displayed enough fighting abilities in their opening fixture against India.
In what highlights the strained relationship between the two neighbouring countries, a top Afghanistan official has urged the United States to impose sanctions on Pakistan and refuse visas to military generals of that country.Afghanistan's National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta hurled severe accusations on Pakistani generals, saying there are definite reports that they have terror links.
Trump disclosed that he was to meet the Afghan President and senior Taliban leaders on Sunday at his Camp David retreat.
There is growing acceptance of the idea in the international community that engaging the Taliban government is a far better approach than ostracising it, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, who carries a reward of $10 million US bounty on his head, is the acting interior minister while his uncle -- Khalil Haqqani -- has been named as acting minister for refugees.
"They (the Taliban) do not represent the popular will in Afghanistan and every poll, every survey I would particularly bring your attention to the BBC/ABC/ARD poll of earlier this year shows that their support is in the single digits," Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, told media persons at a news briefing.
Amid speculation that top US commander in Afghanistan may be sacked for his disparaging remarks against top officials, including US President, the beleaguered general met Barack Obama and apparently gave his explanation to the Commander-in-Chief.
Sergeant Rupert Frere, who transferred from a role in bomb disposal to become a photographer in the Royal Logistic Corps, won no fewer than five of the professional categories.
It's a packed 5-nation, 9-day, visit for Prime Minister Modi as he heads to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, apart from Ufa in Russia.
'The threat of ceding space to China in Afghanistan appears to be one factor propelling our government to get a bit more active now.'
A wave of suicide attacks in Kabul, which left 18 people dead -- half of them Indians, once again highlighted the bloody wrestle between India and Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan.
Warning that India and Pakistan face mutual risk from instability and extremist elements in Afghanistan, a former top United States diplomat has said it is high time the two countries seek 'proxy peace' in the war-torn nation and jointly deal with the situation there."There is discussion about a so-called proxy war between India and Pakistan in Afghanistan. I hope that that is not the case," said Karl Inderfurth, former US assistant secretary of state for south Asia.
At least 18 people including 14 foreigners were killed in a bloody Taliban-claimed attack.
Taliban leader Mullah Mansour was killed in a United States airstrike.
Pakistan would want to take full advantage of the situation to direct Taliban trained terrorists into the Kashmir Valley, alert Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retd) and Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The terrible beauty of Doval's initiative is that it is all about a new journey rather than about a set compass pointing toward a pre-determined destination, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The statement comes Days after Trump sought Imran Khan's help in the Afghan peace process.
Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States Eklil Ahmad Hakimi has not ruled out the possibility of India training Afghanistan's security forces and national army sometime in the future if the necessity arises.
India also called for crippling the illicit drug trade which provides financial sustenance to these terror outfits.
'The Mansoor Taliban is really an extension of the Haqqani Network which in turn is an instrument of the ISI. With Ashraf Ghani ready to dance to Pakistani tunes and with the Haqqani Network becoming part of the Afghan government, Pakistan is all set to see the fruition of its strategic policy,' says Sushant Sareen.
United States President Barack Obama's decision to deploy more troops in Afghanistan indicates the deterioration of the war on terror as well as the escalating crisis in Pakistan, according to many military analysts and intelligence officials.They also fear that America's long-time ally might be on the verge of imploding due to its internal crises.Obama approved the order to deploy 17,000 troops in Afghanistan which beefs up the US troop strength by 50 per cent.
Germany will compensate for its non-participation in the United States-led military operation in Libya by sending around 300 additional troops to Afghanistan to relieve its NATO partners involved in airborne surveillance there for similar operations in the war-torn North African nation.
A tribute to an incomparable photojournalist who was slain by the Taliban on Thursday night.
'We couldn't believe that in the 21st century world, a European country can be bombed, can be invaded.'
Afghanistan will play T20 World Cup, says media manager.
'Even during the worst days during the 1990s, India was dealing with the Taliban.'
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in India Thursday evening in the highest-level visit between the two countries after the ties came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh standoff nearly two years ago.
In his opening address, Prime Minister Modi said the South Asian region has reported less than 150 coronavirus cases, but "we need to remain vigilant". "Prepare, but don't panic" has been India's guiding mantra in dealing with coronavirus outbreak, he said.
The agreement provides for extensive cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector including in research and development for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, they said.
A Pakistani court on Thursday directed the Punjab government to decide "within five days" the detention matter of Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander and 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.
A Pakistani court on Friday dismissed the plea of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi against his detention under a public security act, keeping the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack in jail till mid-April.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Flag-waving and rifle shots greeted Afghanistan's Twenty20 tournament victory in Pakistan on Monday. Afghanis danced to their traditional drum beat music to celebrate a famous win in Karachi in their debut at one of the most prestigious events on the T20 night circuit.
