LAST 24 HOURS
TALIBAN MOVES TO ERADICATE GULBUDDIN HIKMATYAR’S POLITICAL PARTY – Several reports on social media show Taliban security forces removing office equipment and forcing employees out of Hikmatyar’s political party offices. The Hizb-e-Islami party was blacklisted by the Ministry of Justice earlier in 2023 but the day-to-day operations had continued.
INDIA ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF 1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS DESIGNATED FOR AFGHAN STUDENTS – The Indian Council for Cultural Relations announced a new initiative to offer 1,000 scholarships for both graduate and undergraduate students from Afghanistan. To be considered for the scholarships, applicants must:
Be Afghan nationals;
Have an age between 18 and 35 years as of July 1, 2023;
Possess adequate English language proficiency;
Meet the minimum academic qualifications required by the respective Indian Universities/Institutes for their chosen program or course.
Applications will begin being accepted on 22 September 2023 and must be completed online through the iLearn Portal.
TALIBAN TO CRACK DOWN ON YOUTUBERS – A source in Kabul said that Taliban Ministers were alarmed at the recent spike in YouTube accounts that had been registered in Afghanistan over the past four months and intended to establish a procedure to regulate the accounts by mid-October. Many of the accounts have released content that is critical of the Taliban and subscriptions for some of the more popular channels have exceeded 100,000 people. The Taliban have been largely unsuccessful at controlling online social media activity and the source said that China has failed to provide assistance in this regard but things could change soon.
MINISTRY OF VICE AND VIRTUE HALTS SALE OF ‘THIN, TIGHT, SHORT’ CLOTHING IN BAMYAN – Shopkeepers in the Province received notification from the Provincial Vice and Virtue offices to remove any women’s clothing that was deemed to be ‘too revealing’. The Department has been ordering residents to stop wearing such clothing in public. It is not clear what penalties will be imposed for ignoring the new rules.
NEXT 24 HOURS
KABUL - JALALABAD HIGHWAY CLOSED TEMPORARILY – A rockslide occurred on the thoroughfare and blocked traffic in both directions. Work crews have arrived and are using heavy equipment to clear the road. Any considering travel between the two cities should consult local sources before embarking on travel.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Independent reporting from the country suggests that approximately 700 people have been arrested for taking part in demonstrations marking the murder of Mahsa Amini.
Iran’s Petroleum Minister said the country intends to export oil wherever it wants in response to some criticisms from OPEC members for potentially exceeding production goals.
Some pro-regime militia members (Basij) were killed/wounded when gunmen opened fire on their group in the South of the country. It is said that 1 Basij was killed and 3 others wounded late on Saturday night in Nourabad.
PAKISTAN
A new Chief Justice was sworn in on the Supreme Court. Qazi Faez Isa took his oath yesterday in Islamabad and his appointment is considered a blow to the PTI party, who views him as an enemy and tried to have him removed from the bench.
Counter Terrorism Department personnel say they have killed Naik Muhammad (aka Niko, aka Umar) in Swat. He was thought to be the former Commander of all TTP forces in Swat.
The former Minister for the Interior, Sheikh Rashid, has been arrested at his home in Rawalpindi over charges in the Al-Qadir Trust Case (corruption). He is scheduled to appear before an anti-corruption panel soon.
SPOTLIGHT HUMANITY
They Thought Their Sick Little Girl Would Be Safe in America. Then It Denied Her Family Entry.
By Tanvi Misra - Politico
On a sunny morning in April, the airy lobby of the outpatient clinic at the hospital is buzzing with patients arriving for their appointments. In the midst of all the activity, a nondescript man wearing a navy tracksuit pushes a little girl with pink glasses in a small wheelchair. She sports two pigtails secured with Hello Kitty hair ties and a fuzzy jacket, also pink — the requisite color “for girls,” she later says in English she learned from the Cocomelon YouTube channel, her favorite.
AFGHAN NEWS
Afghan Court Hands Down Flogging Punishment For Nine Convicts
By DPA - RFE
The eight men and one woman, who had been tried and are serving jail time, received 20-39 lashes, according to…
Two Years Passed, Interim Govt Yet to Be Official
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that after the approval of the constitution, some of the issues such as…
Gathering in Kabul Remembers Victims of Past 20-Year War
By Naveed Samadi - TOLO News
A gathering titled “infliction of damage on the Afghans by the foreigners over the past 20 years of war,” was held in Kabul, where some political analysts expressed…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan Forms New Policy for Afghan Refugees
By Naweed Samadi - TOLO News
The caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, said an effective policy has been put in place to stop Afghans…
By ANI
According to Sputnik News, Emomali Rahmon reported that Tajik security forces thwarted a terrorist attack on the eve of Tajikistan’s Independence Day, launched from the Afghan…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Muttaqi to attend Moscow format meeting in Kazan
By Ariana News
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will attend the next Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take place on September 29 in…
THE DAILY WTF
British religious clerics accuse media of distorting situation in Afghanistan
By AMU TV
British imams who recently visited Afghanistan said this week that the mainstream media has distorted the situation in Afghanistan and that the…
“Useful idiots.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 79.06 AFN (as of 18 SEP 2023)