LAST 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN HALTS ENTRY OF AFGHANS AT SPIN BOLDAK WITHOUT PASSPORTS/VISAS – The policy at the Spin Boldak gate prior to this week allowed Afghan citizens to cross the border with a birth certificate and/or Tazkera. However, on Monday, sources said that only Afghan citizens who possess passports and visas have been allowed to enter. It is believed that the stringent controls are tied to the upcoming deportation operation. Some Afghans lacking passports were allowed to cross at Spin Boldak but reputedly paid significant sums of money to do so.
HERAT EARTHQUAKE UPDATE – Strong dust storms struck Herat Province yesterday, limiting the ability of aid organizations to help treat victims of the earthquake. Taliban officials significantly lowered the casualty figures from the event. Some reports had suggested that nearly 2,500 had been killed in the quakes, but Taliban officials said yesterday that the actual figures are roughly half of that amount.
TTP COMMANDER KILLED IN KUNAR PROVINCE – Ateequr Rehman, also known as Tipugul Marwat, was reportedly killed on Thursday in Kunar after being attacked by masked gunmen. The terror leader was implicated in many attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Rumors say he may have been killed by a rival Commander in the TTP. Taliban officials admitted that Rehman’s body was found in Kunar and the admission was seized on by Pakistani officials who have continued to warn neighbors and the international community that Afghanistan is harboring terrorist groups.
QATAR AND THE UNITED STATES REPORTEDLY AGREE TO WITHHOLD $6BN TRANSFERRED FROM SOUTH KOREA IN EXCHANGE FOR US PRISONER RELEASE – The agreement is said to be temporary and Qatar has simply agreed not to act on any requests from Iran to access the funds. Speculation about why the US asked Qatar to hold the funds has run wild and most believe the White House was forced to accede to pressure by both US Republicans and some Democrats to withhold the funds until Iran was cleared of any direct involvement in the Hamas attacks. Both the White House and members of the US Intelligence Community say they have yet to discover any proof of Iran’s complicity in the attack. Iran says it has access to the funds and refutes the reports it has been blocked. It is not clear how long the impasse will last.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The US Central Intelligence Agency has admitted that it supported the coup in Iran that brought the Shah into power.
President Raisi had discussions with the Saudi Crown Prince for the first time since diplomatic relations were restored. The discussions focused on the situation in Israel and Ghaza.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Iran was primarily responsible for supporting Hamas in remarks on Thursday. He then slammed the Palestinian Authority’s leader, Mahmoud Abbas for remaining silent on the attacks.
PAKISTAN
A policeman in Sindh was abducted and is thought to be held by a criminal gang. The former Foreign Minister is attempting to gain his release.
Colder temperatures are expected to assault the country after 17 October. Rain and snow is in the forecast for the 14th-17th and weather experts say that temps will slide into Winter thereafter.
The stock market continued to recover and reached a six-year high yesterday. Economists are crediting the privatization of companies for the rebound.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Deporting a million Afghans won’t solve Pakistan’s problems
By Muhammad Hamid Zaman - The New Humanitarian
The 3 October announcement by Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti attracted instant backing on social media. As someone who grew up in Pakistan, where Afghan refugees have always been viewed with suspicion, this fevered rush of online support came as little surprise: The false narrative that all Afghans are potential security threats is deeply rooted across the political spectrum in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities have already alleged that 14 of 24 suicide bombings in the country this year were carried out by Afghan nationals.
AFGHAN NEWS
Starving Afghan earthquake survivors face reality of aid shortfall
By Khudai Noor Nasar - Nikkei Asia
The earthquakes that have devastated Afghanistan in recent days have compounded an already dire humanitarian crisis, with aid organizations, Taliban officials and…
Afghan Officials Lower Earthquakes' Death Toll
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
Afghanistan's Taliban government Thursday lowered the death toll from a series of recent earthquakes that struck western districts to about 1,000, revising the…
On Day of the Girl, Afghans Call for Reopening of Schools for Females
By TOLO News
Hadya, a sixteen-year-old 10th grader, said that celebrating International Day of the Girl will make sense to her when she goes to…
REGIONAL NEWS
TTP leader 'gunned down' in Afghanistan by unidentified attackers
By Sumaira Khan - Samaa
Attiqur Rehman alias Tipu Gul Marwat was killed in an attack by unidentified assailants in the Kunar province of…
HRW Says Deporting Afghans From Pakistan Would Put Them At 'Grave Risk' Of Abuse
By RFE
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the United Nations and international donors to press Pakistan to end abuses and…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Ties with Afghanistan should not be hostage to Taliban recognition: Russian president’s envoy
By Elena Teslova - Anadolu Agency
Ambassadors presenting credentials ‘is not a recognition of the government, it is a tradition,’ Zamir Kabulov tells…
Doha deal ‘did not serve Afghan people’, negotiator says
By Milad Sayar - AMU TV
A senior foreign policy and national security expert in the US, Lisa Curtis, says the Doha Agreement signed between Washington and the Taliban in February 2020 has not served the…
THE DAILY WTF
Pakistani Authorities hinder aid collection for Herat earthquake victims: Manzoor Pashteen
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
The leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement wrote on his social media, Facebook, on Thursday, “The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, from the very beginning in Quetta, set up collection aid tents for…
“To be fair, it is not clear if the Taliban would have allowed the aid in either. Politics wins again.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 75.75 AFN (as of 13 OCT 2023)