Pashtun Times Latest News

Russia is urging the Taliban to start direct talks with the central government in Afghanistan and hopes that such negotiations will begin soon, according to Reuters, Interfax news agency quoted a senior Russian diplomat as saying on Wednesday. “We are urging the Taliban to do this and we hope that they (talks) will start as soon as possible to prevent ...

“How is this going down in your home country? You keep poking your lens where it’s least welcome,” CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour asks filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy during an interview on “Amanpour”. “I think it’s very important to have these difficult conversations. We aren’t going to make the country a better place if we keep glorifying the good things ...

AFGHANISTAN: The Hezb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar officials have said they will consider an invitation to the proposed peace talks likely to take place in the first week of March. A senior leader of the party based in Pakistan has said they have not received any formal invitation for the direct talks so far, a local newspaper reported. The ...

WASHINGTON: The ongoing military operation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) forced the Haqqani network to relocate, said US Secretary of State John Kerry while defending the Obama administration’s decision to sell eight F-16 aircraft to Pakistan. The network’s presence in Fata was used as the main argument against the proposed sale during a congressional hearing on Tuesday. “They ...

A group of the Italian MPs have nominated the Afghan National Women’s Cycling Team for the 2016 Nobel Peace prize, it has been reported. The team led by Zahra Hussaini has been nominated for their dedication and hard-work to promote cycling in Afghanistan despite suffering from accusations of immorality and threats of violence for riding a bike. At least 118 ...

The Taliban group representatives based in Qatar insist on preconditions of the group as direct talks between the Afghan government and representatives of the Taliban is expected to take place in the first week of March. Admitting that the group is unaware of the potential upcoming direct talks with the Afghan government, a spokesman for the group’s political office in ...

AFGHANISTAN: A group of 125 Afghan citizens arrived to Afghanistan this morning from Germany with the support of the Afghan and German governments. “Today, 125 Afghan citizens return to Afghanistan: After a difficult way to Germany in the hands of people smugglers they realized that their future is in Afghanistan and that they are needed in their home country,” according ...

KIEV – Germany and France on Tuesday called upon the Ukrainian authorities to fully implement the country’s stalled reforms, including those prescribed in the Minsk ceasefire agreement. “Reforms in Ukraine should not stop. The country needs both political stability and continuation of reforms,” visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a joint press conference in Kiev with his French ...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s billionaire prime minister has triggered outrage in his homeland after billing $2.2 million per year in travel expenses and spending one-fifth of his term abroad. Nawaz Sharif has embarked on 65 foreign trips since taking office in June 2013. The cost of Sharif and his officials spending on the 185 days overseas has reached more than ...

KABUL: Pakistan will host direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, announced the four-nation group that met here on Tuesday. The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) on Afghan peace and reconciliation issued a joint communiqué after its meeting, saying all Taliban and other groups will be invited to participate in the talks through their authorised representatives. The talks ...