Reg: No 352 Volume No. 3834 Monday March 19, 2018 Hoot 28, 1396 www.outlookafghanistan.net Price: 20/-Afs

Quote of the Day

It is a bad plan that admits of no modification.

Publilius Syrus

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Planning

KABUL - Britain has reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan, citing the continued funding for Afghan national security forces and the recent uplift of UK troops to around 650.Gavin Williamson, in a meeting with Minister of Defence Bah-rami, said the security, develop-ment and governance of Afghani-stan remained crucial to reducing the terrorist threat to the UK.On his maiden visit to Afghani-stan, the secretary said: “A secure Afghanistan will help keep the streets of Britain safe. Building the security services that will be the foundation of stability and peace in Afghanistan remains top of our agenda.“I have seen first-hand the crucial role our brave Armed Forces are playing in realising that vision,” the visiting dignitary said, refer-ring to Britain’s support for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA).During his visit to the academy in Qargha, on the western out-skirts of Kabul, Williamson met UK personnel who are helping to train the next generation of Afghanistan’s military leaders through mentoring training staff and instilling the Sandhurst ethos at the academy.More than 3,000 officers have passed out of the academy since 2013, and, this year, ANAOA has nearly as many female cadets in training as have graduated in to-tal since the academy opened.Williamson also met UK troops who lead the Kabul Security Force (KSF), which provides force protection for NATO staff in Kabul. ...(More on P4)...(4)

UK Renews Commitment to Afghanistan’s Stability

KABUL - Deputy Minister of Communications Sayed Ahmad Shah Sadat says postal services will meet standard norms in the near future.The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) says it will standardize

KABUL - Pakistan and Afghani-stan have called for the Taliban to respond positively to President Ashraf Ghani’s offer of open-end-ed peace talks.The call came during a meeting Pakistan’s National Security Ad-viser (NSA) Nasser Janjua and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ab-dullah on Saturday.

Communications Ministry to Enhance Postal Services

Afghan Govt Working to Resolve Issues with Pakistan

postal services in the country. Based on this plan, Communi-cations Deputy Minister Sayed Ahmad Shah Sadat, said the post office will also be able to offer insurance, money transactions, water and electricity bill paying services online.

Abdullah shared the meeting details on his Twitter account, saying they agreed the Taliban should seize the opportunity cre-ated by the peace offer from the Afghan leader.The two leaders also agreed inter-state dialogue on the improve-ment of relations between the two countries. (Pajhwok)

KABUL - The presidential palace said the president’s invitation for Abbasi to visit was in the hope of resolving problems with Paki-stan. Senators in the Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) on Sunday said the Afghan govern-ment needs to raise people’s con-cerns in their discussions with Pakistani officials and find ways to settle disputes. This comes after President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday officially in-vited the Pakistani prime minis-ter Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to visit Kabul. Ghani has also called on Islamabad to hold direct nego-tiations with Afghanistan in a bid to resolve problems between the two countries. The Afghan government expects to find a solution to the differenc-

“By standardizing postal ser-vices, online services will be pro-vided for transferring licenses, passports and other documents and materials,” Sadat said. “We can transfer money using postal services.”As part of this plan, Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) will invest at least 10 mil-lion AFs from the communication development fund to boost the postal services in the country.“We hope that the post office sends transparent proposals to ATRA and we hope that the pro-ject will be implemented under our supervision,” said Najibullah Azizi, head of the authority.Post ...(More on P4)...(5)

es between the two countries through direct negotiations between the leaders from both nations, the Presidential Palace (ARG) said on Sunday. Deputy presidential spokesman Dawa Khan Menapal said: “The Pakistani prime min-ister is invited to reach a conclusion about state to state talks, the peace process, war on terrorism and regional ties.” Afghanistan has been persistently saying that reaching any political settlement with the Taliban requires honest cooperation by Pakistan. ...(More on P4)...(2)

Voting is underway in the Russian presidential election, with opinions polls projecting Vladimir Putin to win by a wide margin.

KABUL - Iranian official says Iran needs more for-eign investment for political development and for employment. Iran is among the very few countries in the world that has enticed foreign investors with its untapped mineral resources, a senior Iranian industrial offi-cial said on Sunday.According to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, in-flow of capital to the country and foreign invest-ment is one of the main sources for financing the target growth, the chairman of the board of direc-tors of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Devel-opment and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) Mehdi Karbasian said.The official, who is also deputy minister of industry, mine and trade, said that as a result of international engagement and the moves by Iran’s Foreign Minis-try for attracting foreign countries, foreign financial resources entered the country.“For political development as well as employment, Iran needs more foreign investment, particularly by the Iranian expatriates,” he said.“Despite the untouched mines, cheap energy, and the eagerness of the foreign investors, there are some international limitations, including pressure by the US Federal Reserve on the European banks, and insurance firms and the share-holding compa-nies are fearful of ...(More on P4)...(1)

KABUL - The energy ministry said ongoing insecu-rity in Farah province is a serious threat to the dam project and that the root of the problem needs to be found.The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) on Saturday said increasing insecurity in Farah prov-ince will negatively affect planned construction of Bakhshabad Dam.Currently surveys are still being carried out regard-ing the dam, which will be built along a tributary of Farah River, also known as Farah Rod River, and will supply water to 80,000 acres of land in the west. It will also generate 27 megawatts of electricity. However, officials said the dam will bring solid benefits to Farah residents and neighboring prov-inces, but that insecurity is a huge challenge. “An increase in insecurity and the continuation of this situation will affect the Bakhshabad Dam pro-ject. However, the ...(More on P4)...(3)

Iran’s Mining Sector Appealing for Foreign

Investment

Energy Ministry Warns of Insecurity Around

Bakhshabad Dam Project

Abdullah, Janjua Want Taliban to Seize Offer for Talks

Russia: ‘Strong Turnout’ in Presidential Elections

MOSCOW - Russians on Sunday began voting in the 2018 presidential election. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is projected to beat the seven other candidates in the race to secure a fourth six-year term in the Kremlin.

Opinion polls forecast the former KGB spy gar-nering roughly 70 percent of the vote.Russia’s Central Election Commission said the turnout stood at 51.9 percent of Russia’s near-ly 111 million as of 5 p.m. Moscow time (1400

UTC).Turnout is expected to be between 63 and 67 percent, according to pollsters. Analysts believe that the turnout rate is a major factor for Putin, who is looking to secure a clear man-date. (DOA)