Pakistan’s Bank Alfalah Moves To Exit Afghanistan Operations
Bank Alfalah said it has accepted a proposal from Ghazanfar Bank to acquire its operations in Afghanistan, signalling a potential exit from the Afghan market after nearly two decades.
Afghanistan
Afghan Activists Urge End To Language Discrimination Against Persian Speakers
A group of Afghan human rights activists, educators and women protesters have called for an end to what they describe as systematic discrimination against the Persian (Dari) language in Afghanistan.
Islamabad Does Not Trust Afghan Taliban, Says Pak Defence Minister
Pakistan’s defence minister has said Islamabad does not trust the Afghan Taliban, citing their growing ties with India. He warned that Pakistan is prepared to confront both India and the Taliban if required.
Taliban Spokesperson Calls Pak Army Remarks ‘Provocative’
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, has condemned recent comments by Pakistan’s military spokesperson as “irresponsible, provocative and baseless propaganda”, saying they bear no relation to the reality of Afghanistan.
Taliban Confirms Deadly Clashes Over Gold Mining In Takhar
The Taliban have confirmed clashes between local residents and miners over gold extraction in northern Takhar province, saying a delegation has been dispatched to investigate the violence.
Afghanistan Became Region’s Main Terrorism Hub in 2025, Says Pak Army
Pakistan’s military spokesperson said Afghanistan became the region’s primary hub for terrorism in 2025, accusing militant groups based there of driving a sharp rise in violence. He added that Pakistan’s concerns have gained international acceptance.
Iranian President Urges Push To Secure Water Rights From Afghanistan
Iran’s president has instructed officials to intensify efforts to secure the country’s water rights from Afghanistan, Iran’s energy minister said, amid ongoing negotiations with the Taliban authorities.
Pakistan Names Representatives To Afghanistan Border Management Committee
Pakistan’s leading business body has named its representatives to a newly formed committee aimed at managing border affairs with Afghanistan and addressing ongoing disruptions to cross-border trade.
Taliban Publicly Flog Nine People In Herat And Paktia
The Taliban said its courts publicly flogged nine people in western and eastern Afghanistan this week, continuing the use of corporal punishment under the group’s rule.
Taliban Publicly Flog 16 People In Four Afghan Provinces
The Taliban’s Supreme Court said its primary courts have publicly flogged 16 people in the provinces of Parwan, Kabul, Kunar and Balkh, imposing corporal punishment alongside prison sentences.
Protesters Burn Taliban-Linked Gold Mining Equipment In Northern Afghanistan
Protesters in northern Afghanistan set fire to gold mining equipment linked to the Taliban after clashes with security forces and company personnel escalated in Takhar province, local sources said.
China & Pakistan Urge Taliban To Prevent Terror Groups Using Afghan Soil
The foreign ministers of China and Pakistan have called for stronger measures to prevent terrorist organisations from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks against other countries.
Clashes Over Gold Mining With Taliban-Linked Company Kill Four In Northern Afghanistan
At least four people were killed during clashes between local residents and a Taliban-linked gold mining company in northern Takhar province, local sources said on Monday.
Taliban Believes In Political Participation, Says Baradar
Abdul Ghani Baradar says the Taliban believe that political and economic participation is essential for Afghanistan’s progress and claims that strong participation has existed during the group’s four years in power.
Taliban Interior Minister Orders Redeployment Of Forces Placed On Active Reserve
Sirajuddin Haqqani has ordered the redeployment of a number of Taliban forces previously transferred to “active reserve” status, sources within the Taliban’s Interior Ministry said, citing a growing shortage of personnel.
Pak, Afghan Traders Agree To Form Joint Committee To Reopen Border Crossings
Business leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to form a joint committee to review the reopening of key trade crossings between the two countries, following an online meeting between private-sector representatives.
Drones & Khalilzad Are Monitoring Taliban Leader, Says Afghan Envoy In Geneva
Afghanistan’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva said Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has become increasingly isolated and is under constant scrutiny from foreign surveillance and political pressure.
Iranian Delegation Visits Kabul For Labour Talks, Says Taliban
The Taliban’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said an Iranian delegation has arrived in Kabul to discuss labour cooperation, worker exchanges and the protection of Afghan workers’ rights in Iran.
Taliban Tighten Morality Rules, Target Teachers In Nangarhar
The Taliban have forced schoolteachers in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province to sign written pledges committing to grow beards, according to a document obtained by Afghanistan International.
Carried Out More Than 500,000 Security Operations In 2025, Says Taliban
The Taliban says their Ministry of Defence carried out more than 500,000 security operations across Afghanistan in 2025, seizing large quantities of weapons, ammunition and narcotics.
Khamenei Says ‘Rioters Must Be Put In Their Place’ As Protests Continue
Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iranian authorities would engage with protesters but warned that what he described as “rioters” must be dealt with firmly.
Taliban Leader Orders Fighters To Avoid Ethnic & Factional Bias
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, has issued new directives ordering his fighters and officials to refrain from ethnic, regional, linguistic and factional bias.