October 1, 1998

Afghans brace for feared offensive by Masood
Thu 01 Oct 98 - 01:42 GMT

KABUL, Oct 1 (AFP) - In the streets of Kabul and along the dusty highways to the frontlines, the Taliban's arch rival Ahmad Shah Masood is raising fears of another bloody Afghan offensive.
Iranian commander boasts he could crush Taliban in 48 hours
Thu 01 Oct 98 - 13:09 GMT

TEHRAN, Oct 1 (AFP) - An Iranian military commander boasted Thursday he could crush the Taliban in two days, stepping up the rhetoric as the government pursued diplomatic efforts to isolate the hardline militia in Afghanistan.

Pakistan sees Iran-Afghanistan tension reducing
01:12 p.m Oct 01, 1998 Eastern

LONDON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Pakistan's information minister said on Thursday he believed the prospect of war between Afghanistan and Iran had receded.

Economic war takes its toll on Taliban

By CHRISTOPHER KREMMER in Kabul
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday, October 1, 1998

Afghanistan's neighbours may be threatening war to subdue the radical Islamic Taliban - but a slower, potentially more lethal strategy of economic strangulation has already begun.

Iran stages war games on Afghan border

BBC
Thursday, October 1, 1998 Published at 00:12 GMT 01:12 UK

The manoeuvres are biggest Iran has ever staged - some 200,000 troops are expected to take part.

They started with a heavy artillery bombardment on imaginary enemy positions, before armoured and infantry units began a mock advance with support from assault helicopters.

Voice of America

INTRO: USING THEIR ABILITY TO SNIFF OUT EXPLOSIVES BURIED AS FAR AS TWO METERS UNDERGROUND -- SPECIALLY TRAINED MINE DETECTION DOGS ARE FAST BECOMING THE

Aga Khan calls for peace in Afghanistan

The News: jang
October 01, 1998

AIGLEMONT; France: In a powerful appeal to all Muslims in Afghanistan, Shia and Sunni alike, Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims outlined a basis for constructing a new and more stable civil order in Central Asia.

Court rejects petition against closure of Afghan universities

PESHAWAR: A division bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dismissed petitions challenging the closure of two Afghan universities in Peshawar city, adjacent to Afghan.

UN team awaits Taliban clearance

Dawn
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 30: The United Nations is still awaiting clearance from the Taliban to send a fact-finding mission to a rebel town recently captured by them, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

Afghan defectors claim they were flying Iranian arms

Dawn
KABUL, Sept 30: Five crew-members of an Afghan opposition transport plane who defected to the Taliban claimed on Wednesday they had been ferrying Iranian and Russian ammunition for the commander of the Islamic militia's last major foe.
Afghan-Iran standoff hits trade

Dawn
QUETTA, Sept 30: The military standoff between Iran and Afghanistan's Taliban militia has caused a suspension of border trade between the two countries for the last month and a half, trade sources said.

17 items delisted from Afghan transit trade: Ishaq Dar

Frontier Post

From SHAUKAT PIRACHA
ISLAMABAD - Commerce Minister Ishaq Dar informed the National Assembly Wednesday that 48 dignitaries, including politicians and the army chief were allowed to import duty-free Mercedez Benz cars since 1986.

Afghanistan and Pakhtuns in retrospect
Frontier Post (Article)

Nisar Ahmad

The reclamation of power by Pakhtuns in the form of Taliban in Afghanistan is yet another testimony of Pakhtuns' historical ascendant and prevalent place in this country's often-turbulent history. In the recent past, Pakhtuns' virulent

Mediation in Afghanistan

Moonis Ahmar

The News: Jang (Opinion)

The six-plus two meeting held at the United Nations to discuss the on-going conflict in Afghanistan ended with a joint statement demanding the Taliban militia to obey international humanitarian law and respect human rights specifically