LAST 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN TIGHTENING SECURITY AND SCREENING PROCESS AT BORDER ENTRY POINTS – Pakistan’s Federal Investigative Agency has set up a system to verify visas at Torkham Gate. The kiosk is meant to check visas of Afghans who attempt to cross into Pakistan. A source in Rawalpindi said the oversight was needed due to the problem of border security personnel taking bribes to let people in. A similar system is planned for Spin Boldak Gate in the South. The measures are being implemented as the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) met to make final plans for the upcoming deportation operation. In a meeting yesterday, it was announced that undocumented Afghans found in Punjab would be taken to Rawalpindi for processing and would be deported from there. In addition, it has been decided that Afghan nationals who were currently being held in prisons for criminal acts would be sorted according to ‘minor’ and ‘major’ crimes. Those awaiting trial for minor crimes would be deported while those accused of major crimes would await trial. There are concerns that the holding center in Rawalpindi has a maximum capacity of 20,000 people and that overcrowding will cause significant problems.
PAKISTAN DESIGNATES ‘DEPORTATION CENTERS’ TO HANDLE AFGHANS – Centers are expected to be established to process and hold deportees awaiting expulsion. Undocumented Afghans in Punjab and Sindh Provinces will be sent to centers in Rawalpindi and Karachi. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will host 2 centers (Nowshehra and Chamkani). Baluchistan will house 3 centers (Quetta, Pishin, and Qilla Abdullah). Sources in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi have expressed concerns that the designated ‘centers’ only exist on paper and very few preparations have been made at this point to contain the hundreds of thousands who are expected to be brought to the centers. The sources also say they expect to see severe problems with feeding the Afghans, drinking water, and medical treatment who will be interned in the centers.
TALIBAN/PAKISTANI OFFICIALS MEET AT BORDER TO DISCUSS DEPORTATION OPERATION – The information Minister for Balochistan’s caretaker government announced that a meeting took place yesterday between Taliban and Pakistani border officials to discuss the upcoming deportation operation. Among the topics discussed were provisions for those Afghans who had been in Pakistan seeking medical treatment and treatment of women/widows who did not have male chaperones. According to an eyewitness present at the meeting, the discussion was a one-sided affair, and Taliban objections to specific points of concern about the operation were simply ignored.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The US apparently removed text from a UN Security Council resolution that called on Iran to halt funding for terror groups. Apparently, the verbage was changed at the behest of Russia who objected to the implication of its new ally.
The Saudi Arabian Ambassador presented his credentials to the President of Iran yesterday in Tehran.
Iran’s parliamentarian delegation to the 147th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) session walked out of the affair after the IPU President’s speech condemned Hamas for the attacks in Israel.
Iranian commentators on social media appear to be sympathetic to Israel’s situation and have condemned their country’s support for Hamas and other terror groups. Many have voiced concerns that the US could strike the country and appear to doubt IRGC claims that Iran could withstand a US attack.
PAKISTAN
A spokesperson for the IMF announced that a monitoring team will visit Pakistan on 2 November to conduct the first assessment of progress for the recent bailout loan.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was dealt another blow as 3 of its senior women leaders announced they were defecting to the Istehkam-e-Pakistan (IPP) party.
The Islamabad High Court rejected a plea by former PM Imran Khan to change the venue for his trial in the Cipher case. The Justices argued that a jail trial was a safer venue for the former Prime Minister.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
By Sahibzada M. Usman - Modern Diplomacy
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) represents a convoluted paradigm of extremism that has both shocked and appalled the world with its notorious actions. Behind the veneer of religious advocacy and the veil of ideological warfare lies a leadership driven by personal gains, political maneuvering, and an utter disregard for the sanctity of human life. This article endeavors to shed light on the duplicitous nature of the TTP leadership, underpinned by a slew of traits that betray their purported noble intentions.
AFGHAN NEWS
Islamic Emirate Denies Claims of UNAMA’s Report on Human Rights
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate denied claims made by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan’s recent report about the situation of…
Afghanistan ranks last in global index on women’s status
By Ariana News
Afghanistan ranks worst of 177 countries in terms of the status of women, according to this year’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) index released…
Afghanistan’s cricketers inspire nation with World Cup dream
By Matthew Kendrick - GZERO
The streets of Kabul erupted Monday night — in joy, not violence — as Afghans celebrated their national team’s massive upset victory against Pakistan in the…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan Moves to Create Deportation Centers as Afghan Migrant Deadline Nears
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
The Pakistani government approved the creation of several deportation centers for hundreds of thousands of illegally residing Afghan nationals they plan to arrest and repatriate to…
Afghan refugees have 7 days to leave Pakistan as deadline looms
By AMU TV
As Pakistan’s November 1 deadline for all undocumented refugees from Afghanistan to leave the country, many of the migrants say they are facing an…
Central Asian Leaders At Odds Over Controversial Canal Project
By Oil Price
Officials in Uzbekistan have said a government delegation will travel to Afghanistan in the coming months to conduct negotiations over an…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Freed Journalist Recalls Ordeal in Afghan Prison
By VOA
An Afghan-French journalist who spent 284 days imprisoned in Afghanistan has recalled how he was beaten, nearly choked, and…
NRC Country Director Calls for World's Engagement With Kabul
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
Speaking in an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, Neil Turner said that the ties are important for delivering humanitarian aid to needy Afghans for the…
THE DAILY WTF
UK government shame as Afghan refugee faces being sent back to Taliban after admin error
By Holly Bancroft - The Independent
‘They led him down this road of believing he had a chance and they put him up for months in Islamabad at an eye-watering cost of…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 74.60 AFN (as of 25 OCT 2023)
