A protracted war in neighbouring Afghanistan is Pakistan’s “nightmare scenario", the country’s national security adviser said Monday.
Moeed Yusuf also slammed relentless blaming of Islamabad for the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.
The US should take the lead to get the Afghan government and the Taliban back to the negotiation table, Mr Yusuf said.
He said Pakistan was pushing the Taliban to return to negotiations but its influence is waning as the insurgent group gains more ground in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has not even been able to convince the Taliban to reopen the border crossing at Spin Boldak in south-eastern Afghanistan, which the insurgent force captured last month, Mr Yusuf said.
In their sweep through Afghanistan, which began with start of the final withdrawal of US and Nato troops in April, the Taliban have gained control of strategic and lucrative border crossings, including the Spin Boldak crossing with Pakistan.
Last weekend the Taliban closed the crossing after Islamabad demanded that Afghans crossing to the Pakistani side have a passport and a Pakistani visa, something that had not previously been required.
The Taliban accused Pakistan of imposing the new rules to please Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani.
They closed the border, insisting that Pakistan reinstate an earlier lax policy under which the thousands who cross daily were rarely required to show even local identity cards.
As a result, thousands of Afghans and Pakistanis are stuck at the border and hundreds of trucks loaded with perishable goods have been waiting to cross.
As the August 31 deadline for the final withdrawal of US and Nato troops from Afghanistan approaches, Mr Yusuf called for “a reinvigorated, re-emphasised, rejuvenated effort to try and get Afghan political actors … in one room … to get to a settlement of how to move forward".
“Anything but an inclusive political settlement means a protracted conflict, through which instability will likely spill over into Pakistan,” he said. “So our nightmare scenario is a protracted conflict.”
Mr Yusuf said Pakistan, which already hosts about two million Afghan refugees, has not got the resources to absorb a new influx.
The government fears that will happen if fighting continues and the sides do not return to the negotiating table.
The Taliban’s onslaught defies statements by their political leadership in Qatar calling for talks.
The insurgent force has shown no sign of wanting to negotiate, instead pressing ahead on the battlefield, sweeping through five provincial capitals in less than a week.
Mr Yusuf accused Afghanistan of making a scapegoat of Pakistan, blaming it for the Taliban advances.
He demanded evidence of accusations by Kabul at a recent UN Security Council meeting that 10,000 fighters were crossing from Pakistan into Afghanistan.
Mr Yusuf attacked the performance of Afghanistan’s National Defence and Security Forces in those areas where they abandoned districts, occasionally crossing into Tajikistan, Iran or Pakistan to escape the advancing Taliban.
“We are told that over a trillion dollars were put into Afghanistan and much of that into the ANDSF to prepare the army and the security forces," he said.
"What is going on with this well-equipped and trained force?”
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
