July 14, 2000

US says freed American aid worker should be allowed back into Afghanistan
THURMONT, Maryland, July 13 (AFP) - The United States Thursday welcomed the release of an American aid worker detained in Afghanistan by the ruling Taliban militia but said she should be allowed back into the country to continue her work if she wanted.

U.N. official, Taleban to discuss ban on women
By Tahir Ikram
ISLAMABAD, July 13 (Reuters) - A top U.N. official said on Thursday he was optimistic the ruling Taleban would reverse an order banning Afghan women from working for relief agencies that also resulted in the expulsion of a U.S. aid worker.

U.S. aid worker hopes to return to Afghanistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, July 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. aid worker expelled from Afghanistan on spying charge she denies arrived in neighbouring Pakistan on Thursday, hoping to return to the war-ruined country for her aid project.

Defiant US grandmother says no regrets about helping Afghan women
KABUL, July 12 (AFP) - An American grandmother who spent four days in an Afghan detentention centre for alleged espionage said on Wednesday she had no regrets as her only crime was to help local women meet their potential.

Benazir raps Taliban for arresting women workers - 7/14
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto Thursday criticized last week's arrest of eight women employees by Taliban authorities, saying the action flouted Islamic injunctions about women rights.

Congressmen criticize Pakistan, Taliban over terrorism
By Tahir Mirza - DAWN
WASHINGTON, July 13: Afghanistan's Taliban regime came in for heavy criticism at a full meeting of the US House of Representatives Committee on International Relations on Wednesday morning and Pakistan for tolerating "terrorists living and moving freely within its territory."

Indian propaganda at Congressional hearing rebuffed - 7/14
WASHINGTON (NNI): Indian propaganda against Pakistan on the issue of terrorism was undermined by its own supporters as several pro-Indian US legislators failed to attend the Capitol Hill's Congressional hearing on South Asia, as a number

Musharraf's stance on jihad reflects people's sentiments: Qazi - 7/14
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Supporting the government's reform agenda, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed Thursday said Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf's stance on jihad was "fully reflective of the sentiments and aspirations of people of Pakistan."

Pakistanis detained in Kazakhstan
Reports from Kazakhstan say the authorities detained a group of about forty Pakistanis who were trying to enter Russia illegally earlier this week.