March 28, 2001

Afghan Taliban orders students to wear turbans
KABUL, March 28 (Reuters) - Religious police of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement have ordered all students across the country to wear turbans in class saying it was an Islamic

Osama holds gathering despite Taliban restriction
From Aimal Khan
PESHAWAR ­ Despite reported Talibanís restrictions on Osamaís activities, the Saudi dissident held a big gathering in Qandahar, a few days back, sources told The Nation.

No change in Afghan policy: FO
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday said there was no change in the basic elements of its policy on Afghanistan, which aimed at restoring peace and reconciliation in the war-ravaged country.

Sri Lanka Buddhists plan replica of Afghan statue
COLOMBO, March 28 (Reuters) - A Sri Lankan Buddhist group said on Wednesday it wants to build an exact replica of the world's largest Buddha statue that was destroyed earlier this

UNESCO chief says Afghan Buddhas cannot be restored
PARIS: The giant Buddhas of Bamiyan destroyed by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban cannot be restored, UNESCO director Koichiro Matsuura told a press conference here on Tuesday.

Fischer slams Taliban on rights, Buddha statues
By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, March 27 (Reuters) - Germany's Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer on Tuesday rebuked Afghanistan's Taliban authorities for "completely depriving" women

Red Cross sends team to hard-hit Afghan province
KABUL, March 28 (Reuters) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday it had dispatched experts to assess the needs of people in the central Afghan

Pakistan to deport 50,000 Afghan refugees - The News Int.
PESHAWAR: Fifty thousand Afghan refugees living in the Jalozai Camp, will very soon be return to Afghanistan, official sources revealed on Wednesday. Similarly, 100'000

Afghans lack legal protection in Pakistan: Afrasiab
PESHAWAR: Chairman Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Afrasiab Khattak said that Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan lack legal protection.

Pak-US ties
Editorial - The Nation 03/28/01
PAKISTAN's Ambassador to the USA, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, has described as positive the early exchanges between the Musharraf government and the new Bush Administration

Pakistan espouses religious schools
Islamabad, March 27, IRNA-IINA-OANA -- At its weekly meeting, the government of Pakistan took a number of decisions concerning many religious schools that are spread

Putin names new defense, interior ministers
MOSCOW, March 28 (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday named former Security Council chief Sergei Ivanov as his new defense minister and the pro-Kremlin