Tag: America

  • US launches drone attack, killing ‘ISIS-K planner’ in Afghanistan

    US launches drone attack, killing ‘ISIS-K planner’ in Afghanistan

    The United States announced it carried out a drone attack in eastern Afghanistan against a “planner” of an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant- Khorasan (ISIL/ISIS-K) group, after the attack outside Kabul’s airport that killed at least 175 Afghans and 13 US troops.

    “US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner,” Captain Bill Urban, spokesperson for the US Central Command, said in a statement.

    “The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” read the statement.

    The announcement did not identify the targeted individual but indicated that this could be the first of many counter-attack at the ISIS-K targets for Thursday’s terrorist attacks at the Kabul airport.

    The ISIS group had claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

    US President Joe Biden vowed to retaliate against Thursday’s attack in Kabul, saying that he will hunt down those responsible and make them pay.

    Biden confirmed in a speech from the White House that the bombings were carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

    “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive; we will not forget,” Biden said.

    “We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

  • ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

    At least 85 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the blasts on Thursday.

    Among the dead were 72 civilians and 13 United States (US) service members.

    One of the bombers struck Afghans standing knee-deep in a wastewater canal, throwing bodies into the fetid water.

    The second blast was at or near Baron Hotel, where many people, including Afghans, Britons, and Americans, were told to gather in recent days before heading to the airport for evacuation.

    The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL /ISIS) group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

    US President Joe Biden vowed to retaliate against Thursday’s attack in Kabul, saying that he will hunt down those responsible and make them pay.

    Biden confirmed in a speech from the White House that the bombings were carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

    “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive; we will not forget,” Biden said.

    “We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

    Biden added that the US will continue the evacuations of American citizens and US allies despite the attack. “We will not be deterred by terrorists; we will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuations,” he said.

  • We seek no revenge, will respect women’s rights, want free media, says Taliban spokesman

    We seek no revenge, will respect women’s rights, want free media, says Taliban spokesman

    Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday said the group does not seek revenge and has “forgiven everyone”.

    “Will support women’s rights and a free media under Islamic law,” said Mujahid in his first press conference since the insurgent group took over Kabul.

    “The Islamic Emirate is committed to the rights of women within the framework of the Sharia. Our sisters, our women will have the same rights and will be able to benefit from them.”

    “They can have activities in different sectors and areas on the basis of our rules and regulations — in education, health, and other areas,” he said, adding that they will “work with us shoulder-to-shoulder”.

    The Taliban would not seek retribution against former soldiers and members of the western-backed government, he said, insisting that “everyone is forgiven”.

    “Nobody is going to harm you, nobody is going to knock on your doors,” said Mujahid

    Mujahid noted that Afghanistan is at a stage where the country’s men and women are looking to the Taliban with regard to their future.

    “I would like to assure [them] that after consultations that will be completed very soon, we will be witnessing the formation of a strong, Islamic, and inclusive government, InshaAllah,” said Mujahid.

    Mujahid said that the security of embassies is of importance to the Taliban and wants to assure other countries that those areas will have complete security.

    “Your representatives, your embassies, your missions, international organisations, aid agencies, we assure you we will not allow anybody to do anything against you. Your security is ensured. Our forces are there round-the-clock to ensure your security,” he said.

    He said that the Taliban “do not wish to see any kind of chaos” in Kabul.

    “Our plan was to stop at the gates of Kabul after capturing all other provinces,” the spokesman claimed, adding that a “smooth transition” of power was what the group had sought to avoid “trouble, harm, and damages”.

    Mujahid also sought to assure the international community and the regional countries that the Taliban “will not allow the use of Afghan territory against anybody”.

    “We are committed to this pledge. You will not be harmed anywhere from our soil,” he said.

    Mujahid said private media could continue to be free and independent in Afghanistan, adding the Taliban was committed to the media within its cultural framework.

    “Will support women’s rights and a free media under Islamic law,” said Mujahid in his first press conference since the insurgent group took over Kabul.

    “The Islamic Emirate is committed to the rights of women within the framework of the Sharia. Our sisters, our women will have the same rights and will be able to benefit from them.”

    “They can have activities in different sectors and areas on the basis of our rules and regulations — in education, health, and other areas,” he said, adding that they will “work with us shoulder-to-shoulder”.

    The Taliban would not seek retribution against former soldiers and members of the western-backed government, he said, insisting that “everyone is forgiven”.

    “Nobody is going to harm you, nobody is going to knock on your doors,” said Mujahid

    Mujahid noted that Afghanistan is at a stage where the country’s men and women are looking to the Taliban with regard to their future.

    “I would like to assure [them] that after consultations that will be completed very soon, we will be witnessing the formation of a strong, Islamic, and inclusive government, InshaAllah,” said Mujahid.

    Mujahid said that the security of embassies is of importance to the Taliban and wants to assure other countries that those areas will have complete security.

    “Your representatives, your embassies, your missions, international organisations, aid agencies, we assure you we will not allow anybody to do anything against you. Your security is ensured. Our forces are there round-the-clock to ensure your security,” he said.

    He said that the Taliban “do not wish to see any kind of chaos” in Kabul.

    “Our plan was to stop at the gates of Kabul after capturing all other provinces,” the spokesman claimed, adding that a “smooth transition” of power was what the group had sought to avoid “trouble, harm, and damages”.

    Mujahid also sought to assure the international community and the regional countries that the Taliban “will not allow the use of Afghan territory against anybody”.

    “We are committed to this pledge. You will not be harmed anywhere from our soil,” he said.

    Mujahid said private media could continue to be free and independent in Afghanistan, adding the Taliban was committed to the media within its cultural framework.

  • Thrown to the wolves

    A relative, who is one of this government’s true believers, recently circulated a video of people hurriedly getting onto a small airplane. When I asked what this was and why they had shared this video, the answer was, “This is Ashraf Ghani’s family fleeing Afghanistan.”

    The explanation was made in such a gleeful tone that I found it extremely disturbing. Other family members got in on the discussion with one cousin, remarking, “Historically, Taliban rule in Pakistan had been better for Pakistan.” That remark simply seemed to reflect the sense of excitement and anticipation that appears to be widespread in Pakistan about the return of the Taliban next door.

    Pakistan’s Afghan policy, has always centred around somehow being in control of the politics of that country, mainly through religious groups. The lucrative nature of using Islam as a rallying cry in Afghanistan was made clear after the Russian invasion. The US, aided willingly by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, mobilised ‘mujahideen groups’ against the Soviet forces and the rallying cry of ‘saving Islam’, along with the cash and arms that poured in for this purpose proved to be very effective in the conflict. Certainly, many in Pakistan profited from the conflict but while these individuals and establishments would often complain about all the Afghan refugees who flooded into Pakistan, they never really complained about all the money they made. They just went on and on about ‘strategic depth’ and continued to happily support militant groups. The generals watched in horror as one Pakistani prime minister tried to find a political and consensual solution to the conflict so he (Junejo) was dismissed by the military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq fairly quickly. Subsequent, elected prime ministers have been similarly undermined and challenged on the Afghan policy front.

    My cousin thinks that history shows us that Taliban rule in Afghanistan has been good for Pakistan. Hmm, that would be because of the scores of public executions in the football stadium. Or perhaps because of the Taliban government’s efforts to take the country back to the dark ages. Or perhaps because the Taliban’s efforts to fix the country concentrated on such useful and revolutionary measures as smashing televisions, destroying ancient statues and insisting that women and minorities (like the well-entrenched Sikh communities) had no rights at all. Or perhaps that regime was ‘good’ for Pakistan because the militant violence then seeped into Pakistan and resulted in more than a decade of terror: bomb blasts and armed attacks. Despite all of that violence, many Pakistanis refused to condemn the killers because somehow they felt a sort of grudging admiration for the extremists, the ‘true believers’. Never mind the brutality of armed attacks or the heroin, Kalashnikovs and network of Saudi funded madrassahs that flooded the country, the mujahideen/Taliban groups were apparently ‘good’ for Pakistan.

    The way the US has simply upped and left Afghanistan is shockingly callous. They invaded the country in 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, all in the name of fighting against religious militancy and terrorism. I am not sure what they did in two decades of occupying the country: but the Afghan Taliban now seem stronger than before and their forces are now re-taking the country bit by bit. Along the way, they execute journalists, comedians and anyone else they disapprove of. And they continue their practice of targeting any high profile individuals or government officials who oppose them – just a few days ago they killed Dawood Khan Menapal, the head of the Afghan government’s press operations for local and foreign media. He was gunned down in his car in Kabul during the time of Friday prayers.

    The interesting thing about all this is that the world does not seem to be interested in Afghanistan any more. The advance of the Taliban forces on the capital, the decimation of the Afghan security forces along the way, the fact that thousands who believed in the west’s false claims of furthering democracy and progress now fear for their lives – none of this is considered worthy of sustained media coverage. There are occasional news stories, of course, but the intensity is nothing like it was when the Bamiyan Buddhas were blown up or when one or two western coalition soldiers were killed. Everybody seems to be watching events in Afghanistan with a degree of resignation, with a sense that Taliban victory is inevitable. The country seems to have been thrown to the wolves. After two decades of US occupation, it’s back to square one, nothing seems to have changed in the country except that Kabul now has trendy coffee shops and the trappings of western capitalism. After claiming that they were training and supporting government forces, the US-led coalition has abandoned them: the soldiers who resist the Taliban are now simply cannon fodder. It seems a familiar enough pattern: invade and occupy a country and wage a war in the name of peace and progress, get lots of people killed, and then just get up and leave.

    Many organisations in the west are now trying to do their conscientious bit by arranging sanctuary for those Afghans who worked with the western coalition – the translators and media fixers in particular. But how tragic it is that those who worked for what they thought was positive change, progress and the rule of law in their homeland are now forced with the choice of either losing their country or losing their life.

    Meanwhile, people in Pakistan (or at least my right-wing relatives) continue to be all excited about the return of the Middle Ages. Probably because of the thinking that Afghanistan should be regarded mainly as a battleground for the covert Indo-Pakistan war and ongoing power struggle in the region. Or perhaps because of the thinking that a religious ideology will trump any other ideology, particularly that of Pakhtun nationalism (something that we seem particularly phobic about). Some people will be of the opinion that the Taliban are more representative of the Afghan nation than any other group so eventually some sort of political evolution will happen in the country and that will be better than an artificially imposed system. Well, that’s all very well but what about those two decades then? What of all the lives lost and the promises made?

    And what about the Afghans dreaming of peace and progress? Their fate can be summed up in two words: cannon fodder.

    Thank you America. And thank you also to all you neighbours of Afghanistan.

  • ‘Pakistan will not give airbases to US’: General Bajwa

    ‘Pakistan will not give airbases to US’: General Bajwa

    Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday said Pakistan will not give airbases to the United States (US) if the government has decided against it.

    According to an official statement issued after the security briefing held on Thursday, the session was informed that Pakistan played a highly positive and responsible role in the Afghan peace process.

    “Pakistan’s efforts paved the way for dialogue between Afghan factions and warring groups,” the meeting was told, while it was also noted that due to Islamabad’s efforts, meaningful talks have begun between the US and the Taliban.

    “Sustained peace and stability in Afghanistan will lead to stability in South Asia,” the meeting was informed.

    The participants were further told that Pakistan would welcome a government that was truly representative of the Afghan people and that it would continue its responsible role for peace in Afghanistan.

    “Pakistan’s territory is not being used in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan […] and we hope that Afghanistan’s land is not used against Pakistan,” the DG ISI had reportedly said during the session.

    A meeting of the National Security Committee was held on Thursday. Army chief and heads of security institutions participated in the meeting. A briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and internal security challenges was under discussion.

    It should be recalled that the government had turned down a US request for setting up drone bases in Pakistan for future counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan had in his speech that Pakistan could be partner with the United States in peace, but not in conflict.

  • ‘Pakistan can be partners in peace with US but never in conflict’: PM Imran Khan

    ‘Pakistan can be partners in peace with US but never in conflict’: PM Imran Khan

    Speaking at the budget session of the National Assembly (NA), Prime Minister Imran Khan once again reiterated, “Pakistan could be partners with the United States in peace but never in conflict.”

    PM gave his speech the day after the government smoothly passed Finance Bill 2021-22.

    The premier further added, “When we gave so many services, did they (US) praise us or acknowledge our sacrifices? Instead, they called us a hypocrite and blamed us. Instead of appreciating us, Pakistan was bad-mouthed.”

    “I have never felt more insulted than when Pakistan decided to join the US war on terror. We decided to become a frontline state for the American war on terror. I questioned repeatedly: what did we have to do with the war?”

    “Does any country get involved in another’s [war] and lose 70,000 lives?” he asked. “What they (US) said, we kept doing. Musharraf said in his book that he took the money [from the US] and sent people to Guantanamo.”

    The premier termed it as the “darkest period of our history” when Pakistan did not know which was a friendly country and which was not. “Have you heard of a friendly country carrying out attacks and drone strikes in your country?”

    In an apparent reference to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain, PM asked: “A terrorist is sitting in London for 30 years. Will they give us permission to attack him? If they will not give permission then why did we? Are we subhuman or half-human or do our lives not have enough value?”

    The prime minister said that in a meeting of the US Senate, an American commander had claimed that the Pakistan government did “not tell the truth” to its citizens. “We disrespected ourselves, the world did not disrespect us.”

    He said that overseas Pakistanis had to hide their faces after the raid by US Navy Seals in Abbottabad in which Osama Bin Laden was killed because “our ally did not trust us enough to carry out the attack”.

    The premier warned that a “very tough time” was coming for Pakistan in view of the situation in Afghanistan. He said he was thankful that the US had recognised there was no military solution to the conflict in the neighbouring country but it should have done so earlier.

    “Afghanistan has never accepted interference from outside. If we were proactive and a self-respecting government, stood up and said [the US] is wrong, then we would have protected them (Afghans).”

    The premier clarified that Pakistan did not want to have favourites or choose sides, insisting “whoever Afghan people choose, we are with them”.

    PM Khan invited the Opposition to work with the government on election reforms. “After 1970, all elections have been controversial,” he said.

    PM Khan said the recently held by-polls and Senate elections were made controversial as well.

    He said the government had been considering ways to make the elections acceptable to all the parties, and reminded the Opposition that election reforms would benefit democracy.

    “The time has come to make the country’s elections acceptable to everyone,” he said.

    He recalled that when he wanted to give a speech in parliament after being elected prime minister, the Opposition refused to allow him to speak claiming that the election had been rigged. “When Trump claimed the same, the media asked him to give proof.”

    “We did the same in 2013. We had asked the then government to hold recounting in four constituencies. We had to approach the court and as a result in all four constituencies, rigging was proved.”

    “After trying our best, we came to the conclusion that EVMs (electronic voting machines) are the only solution,” he said.

    The premier said his government was “ready to listen” if the Opposition had any other “advice” regarding the electoral reforms.

    The premier said if the country steps back from this aim, then there would be “no justification for Pakistan’s existence”.

    PM Imran Khan said that the budget reflected the PTI’s three core principles — justice, humanity, and self-sufficiency and praised his financial team for ensuring the budget embodies all three.

    He said that when the PTI government came to power, the country’s biggest problem was the current account deficit. “[Pakistan] had the biggest deficit in history, which means our currency was in danger. Our team was new and we had no experience … We took many difficult steps to stabilise our economy which were painful.”

    The premier thanked countries like the UAE, Saudia Arabia, and China for “protecting us from defaulting”.

    The premier lauded National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) chief Asad Umar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, the Pakistan Army, and others involved in curbing the spread of coronavirus.

    “The Opposition attacked us, we were criticised for two months for no lockdowns,” he recalled.

    PM Imran Khan said Pakistan’s coronavirus situation was better as compared to countries in the region and it was “due to Allah’s blessings and the poor people’s prayers”.

    He cited the government’s “protection” of agriculture as well as record crop production for the 3.9 per cent economic growth rate in fiscal year (FY)22.

    “We incentivised export industry and it grew 17 per cent in one year. Our exports in June were $2.7 billion, which is an all-time record for the month in Pakistan,” added PM Khan.

    “We held negotiations with the construction industry and tried to give them incentives because when [that industry] starts running, then 30 related industries also start running,” he added.

    Pakistan was moving towards becoming an Islamic welfare state for the first time, said PM Khan.

    “By next month, we will have data on all income levels of families and according to that, the lowest 40-50pc families will be brought under the [government’s social welfare] programme. We have dedicated Rs500bn for them,” he said, disclosing that it would include interest-free loans, health cards, technical education, low-cost housing, and scholarships.

    A day earlier, the National Assembly had passed the budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022, with a majority vote amid a dismal showing by the Opposition.

    PM gave his speech the day after the government smoothly passed Finance Bill 2021-22.

    The premier further added, “When we gave so many services, did they (US) praise us or acknowledge our sacrifices? Instead, they called us a hypocrite and blamed us. Instead of appreciating us, Pakistan was bad-mouthed.”

    “I have never felt more insulted than when Pakistan decided to join the United States war on terror. “We decided to become a front line state for the American war on terror. I questioned repeatedly, what did we have to do with the war?” said PM Khan.

    “Does any country get involved in another’s [war] and lose 70,000 lives?” he asked. “What they (US) said, we kept doing. [Former president Pervez] Musharraf said in his book that he took money and sent people to Guantanamo [Bay jail].

    The premier termed it as the “darkest period of our history” when Pakistan did not know which was a friendly country and which was not. “Have you heard a friendly country doing attacks and drone strikes in your country?” he asked.

    “A terrorist is sitting in London since 30 years. Will they give us permission to attack him?” he questioned in an apparent reference to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain.

    “If they will not give permission then why did we? Are we subhuman or half human or do our lives not have enough value?” he said angrily.

    The prime minister said that in a meeting of the US Senate, an American commander had claimed that the Pakistan government did “not tell the truth” to its citizens. “We disrespected ourselves, the world did not disrespect us.”

    He said that overseas Pakistanis hid their faces after the raid by US Navy Seals in Abbottabad in which Osama Bin Laden was killed because “our ally did not trust us enough to carry out the attack.”

    The premier warned that a “very tough time” was coming for Pakistan in view of the situation in Afghanistan. He said he was thankful that the US had recognised there was no military solution to the conflict in the neighbouring country but it should have done so earlier.

    “Afghanistan has never accepted interference from outside. If we were proactive and a self-respecting government stood up and said [the US] is wrong, then we would have protected them (Afghans).”

    The premier clarified that Pakistan did not want to have favourites or choose sides, insisting “whoever Afghan people choose, we are with them.”

    PM Khan invited the Opposition to work with the government on election reforms. “After 1970, all elections have been controversial,” he said.

    PM Khan said the recently held by-polls and Senate elections were made controversial as well.

    He said the government had been considering ways to make the elections acceptable to all the parties, and reminded the Opposition that election reforms would benefit democracy.

    “The time has come to make the country’s elections acceptable to everyone,” he said.

    He recalled that when he wanted to give a speech in parliament after being elected prime minister, the opposition refused to allow him to speak claiming that the election had been rigged, adding, “When [former United States president Donald] Trump claimed the same, the media asked him to give proof.”

    “We did the same in 2013. We had asked the then government to hold recounting in four constituencies,we had to approach the court and as a result in all four, rigging was proved.

    “After trying our best, we came to the conclusion that EVMs (electronic voting machines) are the only solution,” he said.

    The premier said his government was “ready to listen” if the opposition had any other “advice” regarding the reforms.

    The premier said if the country steps back from this aim, then there would be “no justification for Pakistan’s existence”.

    PM Imran Khan said that the budget reflected the PTI’s three core principles — justice, humanity, and self-sufficiency and praised his financial team for ensuring the budget embodies all three.

    He said that when the PTI government came to power, the country’s biggest problem was the current account deficit. “[Pakistan] had the biggest deficit in history which means our currency was in danger. Our team was new and we had no experience … We took many difficult steps to stabilise our economy which were painful.”

    The premier thanked countries like UAE, Saudia Arabia and China for “protecting us from defaulting”.

     The premier lauded National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) chief Asad Umar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, the Pakistan Army, and others involved in curbing the spread of coronavirus.

    “The opposition attacked us, we were criticised for two months for no lock downs,” he recalled.

    PM Imran Khan said Pakistan’s coronavirus situation was better as compared to countries in the region and it was “due to Allah’s blessings and the poor people’s prayers”.

    He cited the government’s “protection” of agriculture as well as record crop production for the 3.9 per cent economic growth rate in fiscal year (FY)22.

    “We incentivised export industry and it grew 17 per cent in one year. Our exports in June were $2.7 billion which is an all time record for the month in Pakistan,” added PM Khan.

    “We held negotiations with the construction industry and tried to give them incentives because when [that industry] starts running, then 30 related industries also start,” he added.

    Pakistan was moving towards becoming an Islamic welfare state for the first time, said PM Khan.

    “By next month, we will have data on all income levels of families and according to that, the lowest 40-50pc families will be brought under the [government’s social welfare] programme. We have dedicated Rs500bn for them,” he said, disclosing that it would include interest-free loans, health cards, technical education, low-cost housing and scholarships.

    A day earlier, the National Assembly had passed the budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022, with majority vote amid a dismal showing by the Opposition.

  • ‘Osama Bin Laden is a thing of the past, my focus is on the present and future’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    ‘Osama Bin Laden is a thing of the past, my focus is on the present and future’: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday appeared on Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath” and said that former Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden (OBL) “is a thing of the past and my focus is on the present and the future”.

    Qureshi was asked once more about why it is that he, along with Prime Minister Imran Khan, avoid clarifying whether OBL is a martyr or terrorist.

    “Osama Bin Laden is a thing of the past. I am not concerned with the past. You are lost in the past. My focus is on the present and the future,” said Qureshi.

    Khanzada explained that he was asking for clarity because Pakistan paid a huge price for confusion in the past when it was said that there is a “dual policy with sympathy for terrorists”.

    “I wish to bring you out of the past,” Qureshi said, in response. “My friend, I wish to bring you out of the past. And I tell you, you must think about the future. That future will impact Pakistan, it’s economy and its society. We are absolutely clear on this. We are against terrorism.”

    Qureshi further added that PM Khan takes inspiration from the country’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

    Qureshi was also asked why Pakistan is giving confused statements, when in the backdrop of the US defence secretary’s words about Afghanistan’s soil being used against the US by Daesh or Al-Qaeda in two years’ time, such remarks could come back to haunt us.

    To this Qureshi said: “No, no, no, no. We have great clarity on this. We will never want Afghan or Pakistan soil to be used against a third country, let alone America. I would never want it to be even used against any of our neighbours. Not at all.”

    “We have great clarity. We do not and never will support terrorist organisations and will never want for them to gain such power or importance that they become capable of striking the mainland, some other country, or some coalition partner who have done so much for Afghanistan,” added Qureshi.

    “We will have to admit one thing. The coalition there invested a great deal [in society]. They have invested billions of dollars, established institutions, promoted education, taught them governance. Who will want them to come under attack?” he said.

    In an interview with Afghanistan’s Tolo News, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi skipped a question when asked if Osama bin Laden was a martyr. Qureshi paused for a few seconds and then said, “I will let that pass.”

  • Woman ‘destroys’ $26m lottery ticket in laundry

    Woman ‘destroys’ $26m lottery ticket in laundry

    A woman in America claims that she destroyed her $26 million winning lottery ticket in the laundry.

    According to details, the woman mistakenly put the ticket in the pocket of her pants and sent it for laundry. She had bought the ticket at a store in the Los Angeles suburb of Norwalk back in November.

    Read more – Lost glasses help 80-year-old win more than £100,000

    A store employee said that a woman came and told the workers that she had put the ticket in her pants and it was destroyed in the laundry.

    Her claim is being investigated by California Lottery officials, with the store’s manager saying that CCTV video showed the woman buying the ticket. She is also someone known to staff at the store.

    As per rules, someone who believes he or she is a winner, must complete a claim form.

    But Lottery spokeswoman Cathy Johnston said if someone has lost a ticket, they must also provide proof they owned it, such as a photograph of the front and back of it. Johnston said the claim will still be investigated.

  • Joe Biden receives COVID-19 vaccine on live television

    Joe Biden receives COVID-19 vaccine on live television

    US President-elect Joe Biden received a COVID-19 vaccine live on television to enhance Americans’ confidence in the jabs.

    The 78-year-old incoming president got the Pfizer vaccine at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. His wife Jill got the shot earlier, the presidential transition team said.

    Biden told Americans “there s nothing to worry about” when they get vaccinated and that in the meantime, they should follow all the SOPs  and “listen to the experts.”

    https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1341120867938545665?s=20

    He and the future first lady were the latest high-profile political figures who publicly joined the first wave of vaccinations that is expected to stop the current pandemic.

    Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband will be vaccinated next week.

    Previously Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) also shared her experience of getting vaccinated on social media.

    Meanwhile, the serving vice president, Mike Pence, and his wife got vaccinations last week. Trump, however, has yet to take part in the drive.

  • VIDEO: Woman finds two-headed snake at her house

    VIDEO: Woman finds two-headed snake at her house

    A woman was shocked after finding a rare two-headed snake in her house in North Carolina, America.

    According to the details, Jeane Wilson spotted the rare snake in the sun room of her house.

    She shared the video on Facebook and wrote: “Ok Facebook…anybody out there knows of a place that would take Double Trouble here and care for him/her or should I turn it loose? It’s not poisonous.” 

    Wilson said she found the reptile close to a table in her sun room, and immediately contacted a relative to describe the reptile’s appearance.

    https://youtu.be/eZ2VCCgSSds

    She later put it inside a jar with the help of her friends because she did not want it to get hurt. 

    “We were having game night and the door was left open for some air. After everybody left, I was in there cleaning up and saw it lying on the floor beside the table. I saw its heads first and couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to kill it so we put it in a jar. Everybody was amazed, ‘Wow, a two-headed snake at Nana’s house,’” said Wilson.

    After the one-foot long snake was handed over to the Catawba Science Center, it was identified as a Black Rat Snake. Interestingly, only one in 1,00,000 has two heads.