Pajhwok received no casualty report last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), withdrawing from the Rome Statute, said it did not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) emphasised its interaction with Afghanistan would continue to be based on ground realities, ruling out selective behaviour.

Pakistan announced it would expel Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, while the foreign ministers of 17 countries expressed concern over restrictions on women in Afghanistan.

Key events of last week

• IEA refuses to recognise ICC jurisdiction
• OIC: We deal with Afghanistan based on realities
• Baradar stresses postitive interaction with IEA instead of pressure tactics
• Pakistan to expel Afghans from Islamabad and Rawalpindi
• Kabir: Host nations should stop violence against refugees
• FMs of 17 countries concerned at curbs on women in Afghanistan
• MoVV: Criticism in name of women’s rights is a double standard
• India’s imports from Afghanistan go up
• Iran: We support Afghan investors in free zones.

Casualties

Last week, 17 people, including women and children, were killed and 48 others injured in traffic accidents, landslides and avalanches in Baghlan, Helmand, MaidanWardak, Ghazni, Khost, Faryab, Nangarhar, Zabul, Badakhshan provinces.

However, Pajhwok did not receive reports regarding other incidents or casualties resulting from them.

In the previous week a suicide bombing in front of the Kabul Bank branch in Kunduz City killed five people and injured seven others.

In Kabul, a bomber was killed before he could reach his target at the Ministry of Urban Development’s gate. In the ensuing explosion, one person was killed and three others were injured.

In the Sheikh Abu NasarFarahi port area of Farah province, a blast from an old landmine killed three people and injured two others. Additionally, in Samangan, at least four people were injured in a hand grenade attack at a mosque.

Before the regime change in 2021, hundreds of civilians, insurgents and security personnel would be killed and maimed every week.

IEA refuses to recognise ICC jurisdiction

IEA says it does not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), established under the Rome Statute.

In a statement, the caretaker government, advocating for mutual respect and principle-based interactions with other nations, rejected the ICC’s approach.

The statement highlighted the suffering of millions of innocent people – especially women, children and civilians – across many countries, including Afghanistan. It criticised the ICC for remaining silent on injustices.

Around two weeks ago, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan called for the arrest of IEA Supreme Leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada and Supreme Court, head Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) responded by saying the arrest request, based on accusations from the ICC prosecutor, followed a pattern of politically motivated decisions that were far from due legal process.

Afghanistan became a member of the ICC in 2003.

Interaction with caretaker govt stressed

Tariq Ali Bakhit, the special representative of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Afghanistan, emphasised realistic engagement and avoiding “selective” approaches in relations with Afghanistan, during a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides discussed security, education, counter-narcotics efforts and humanitarian aid.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, urged the international community to abandon the policy of exerting pressure and instead engage in positive interaction with the caretaker government.

In a speech in Kabul, Baradar said pressure tactics not only failed to facilitate engagement but also drove nations and countries further apart.

Maulvi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting minister of defence, stressed positive relations with world countries during a ceremony in Kabul.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new section of the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital, he stated Afghanistan was part of the world and that the Islamic Emirate was fully prepared for positive engagement with all based on national and Islamic interests.

Refugees

Pakistan rejected Kabul’s request to extend the stay of Afghan nationals living illegally in Islamabad and Rawalpindi

Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Maulvi Abdul Kabir urged host countries to treat Afghan refugees with dignity and end violence against them.

He issued the call at a gathering, organised in Kabul on Tuesday in honour of businessmen and investors for their contributions to assisting refugees and the poor.

While appreciating efforts of Afghan investors and businessmen in various sectors, Kabir acknowledged assistance from wealthy individuals and the public played a crucial role in supporting refugees and those in need.

The Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation (MoRR) says Pakistani police raided homes of several Afghan migrants in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Condemning these actions, the ministry called on international organisations to continue cooperation on the dignified return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

Last week, 207 Afghans who had been detained in Pakistani for not having legal documents were released and returned to their country.

Last week, MoFA said 17 Afghan nationals had been released from prisons in Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Sudan and Mauritania and repatriated to the country following efforts by the Afghan Embassy in Cairo.

Women’s rights

Last week, foreign ministers from 17 countries, including representatives from Canada, Australia, Germany and the European Union, expressed concern about the restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan.

They said no government could achieve lasting peace, prosperity and a sustainable future by excluding women.

The Ministry of Vice and Virtue, in response to a joint statement from the 17 countries, stated criticism of the ministry in the garb of women’s rights was a clear sign of the world’s double standards and political pressure on the Islamic Emirate.

Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, the ministry’s spokesperson, said Afghanistan was an Islamic country, and Islamic laws defined fair rights for women, children and all segments of society.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) chief warned curbs on women’s education and work would result in long-term harm.

She said the current restrictions on education and work for Afghan girls and women would cause long-term damage. She stressed practical steps towards the removal of the curbs.

However, IEA officials have consistently emphasisedd their commitment to women’s education and employment within the framework of Islam and the caretaker government’s policies.

Economic ties

Imports from Afghanistan to India surged, but exports declined since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover.

Indian Express, citing statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, put the value of imports from Afghanistan at $642.29 million in 2023 and 2024.

It said Afghanistan’s exports to India largely included agricultural products such as figs, potatoes, almonds, apricots, onions, pomegranates and walnuts.

Iran underlined support to Afghan investors, saying they could obtain residency in the country’s free trade zones.

The secretary to the supreme council of free zones of Iran, Reza Masroor, said foreign investors, including those from Afghanistan, were welcomed and they could get residency in these zones.

sa/mud