Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson to the prime minister on foreign media, said on Tuesday that the Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Torkham and Tirah sectors.&nbsp;In a post on X, he said Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces &ldquo;responded immediately and effectively, silencing the Taliban aggression.&rdquo;&nbsp;Zaidi warned that any further provocation would be met with an &ldquo;immediate and severe&rdquo; response, reaffirming that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens and safeguard its territorial integrity. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2026326337695211825&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d9de6d2732cd3795fc9a78059af0dc9350b4e0de&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The exchange follows <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-strikes-7-ttp-iskp-terrorist-camps-near-afghan-border" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan&rsquo;s overnight air strikes</a> over the weekend in Afghanistan&rsquo;s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, where, according to officials, terrorist camps and hideouts were targeted. An official said more than 80 terrorists were killed in the precision strikes.&nbsp;A statement issued by the information ministry in the early hours of Sunday said the strikes were conducted in response to a series of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, including a suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad and multiple attacks in Bannu and Bajaur.&nbsp;The ministry said Pakistan had &ldquo;conclusive evidence&rdquo; that &quot;khwarij&quot; -- terrorists backed by India belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- carried out the attacks at the behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.&nbsp;Describing the action as a retributive, intelligence-based operation, the statement said seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to the TTP, along with affiliates and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), were targeted in the border region.&nbsp;It added that despite repeated efforts by Pakistan urging the Afghan Taliban regime to take verifiable measures to deny the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/russia-estimates-up-to-23000-terrorists-in-afghanistan" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">use of its territory by terrorist groups</a> and foreign proxies for attacks against Pakistan, no substantive action had been taken.

Security

Warns that any further provocation would be met with an “immediate and severe” response, reaffirming that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens and safeguard its territorial integrity.

Afghan Taliban initiated unprovoked firing along border, says PM’s spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conducted precision airstrikes on seven terrorist camps and hideouts along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan border in response to a series of suicide bombings inside the country, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Pakistan said early Sunday. In an official statement, the ministry said the strikes targeted camps linked to Fitna al Khwarij, Pakistan&rsquo;s term for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), groups Islamabad says were responsible for recent attacks on Pakistani soil. The ministry said the operations were launched after authorities established the involvement of these groups in multiple suicide bombings, including the attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, as well as incidents in the northwestern districts of Bajaur and Bannu during the holy month of Ramadan. A further suicide bombing in Bannu earlier this week heightened security concerns, officials said. According to the ministry, responsibility for the attacks was claimed by Afghanistan-based elements of Fitna al Khwarij and ISKP, with investigations linking the attackers to leadership and handlers operating from across the border. &ldquo;Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority,&rdquo; the ministry said. The strikes come after recent rounds of diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan failed last year to produce concrete measures to halt cross-border militant activity. Islamabad said multiple rounds of talks in Doha and Istanbul sought to secure commitments from the Taliban authorities to prevent Afghan territory from being used by groups such as Fitna al Khwarij and ISKP to plan and execute attacks inside Pakistan. According to the ministry, &ldquo;despite repeated discussions, the Afghan side did not undertake substantive action, leaving Pakistan with no option but to take intelligence-based military measures to protect its citizens and national security.&rdquo; The ministry described the strikes as a &ldquo;retributive response,&rdquo; adding that the intelligence-based operations were carried out with precision and accuracy to disrupt militant infrastructure and prevent further attacks. Pakistan reiterated its demand that Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government fulfil its obligations to ensure its soil is not used for terrorism against other countries, including commitments under the Doha Agreement. Islamabad also called on the international community to play a constructive role by urging the Taliban authorities to honour those commitments, saying such steps are essential for regional and global peace and security. The ministry said Pakistan remains committed to stability in the region but will continue to act decisively to safeguard its citizens and national security. Further updates will be issued as the situation develops.

Information Ministry says the targeted camps were associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). They were hit after Pakistan confirmed their involvement in recent terrorist attacks.

Pakistan conducts precision border strikes after deadly terrorist attacks

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban have introduced a new penal code that permits a husband to physically punish his wife, provided the violence does not result in broken bones or open wounds, according to a report published by The Telegraph.&nbsp;The British newspaper said it had obtained the 60-page legal document, signed by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and circulated to courts across Afghanistan.&nbsp; The code reportedly classifies spousal beatings as &ldquo;ta&rsquo;zir,&rdquo; or discretionary punishment, rather than a criminal offence.&nbsp;Under the new provisions, a husband may strike his wife or children so long as no visible fractures or open injuries are caused. Even in cases where serious harm is proven, the maximum penalty is said to be 15 days in prison.&nbsp;The report said the complaint process makes it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-tighten-restrictions-on-women-media-in-afghanistan-hrw-report" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">difficult for women to seek justice</a>. A woman must appear before a male judge, fully veiled and accompanied by a male guardian &mdash; often the husband accused of abuse.&nbsp; There is no explicit prohibition of physical, psychological or sexual violence against women in the code.&nbsp;The Telegraph further reported that a woman who leaves her husband&rsquo;s home without permission &mdash; including to escape violence &mdash; could face up to three months in prison under Article 34.&nbsp;Family members who shelter her may face the same punishment.&nbsp;The new code replaces legal protections introduced under Afghanistan&rsquo;s previous government, including a 2009 law that criminalized forced marriage, rape and gender-based violence.&nbsp;According to the newspaper, the document also introduces broader social and legal restrictions. It criminalizes dancing and attending dance performances, imposes penalties for criticizing Taliban leadership or policies, and does not provide for the right to legal counsel.&nbsp;Article 23 reportedly prescribes lashes and imprisonment for insulting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/afghanistan-ranks-among-worlds-most-corrupt-countries-in-2025-report" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Taliban leaders</a>, while Article 17 criminalizes &ldquo;mockery&rdquo; of Islamic rulings without clearly defining the term.&nbsp;The report said the code distinguishes between different social classes and includes provisions that affect religious minorities, including followers of non-Hanafi Islamic schools.&nbsp;Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls, including limits on education, employment and public participation.&nbsp; A United Nations report in July 2024 warned that enforcement measures by the ministry for promoting virtue and preventing vice were contributing to a climate of fear and intimidation.&nbsp;The Taliban authorities have not publicly responded to the Telegraph&rsquo;s report.

Afghanistan

The British newspaper says it has obtained the 60-page legal document, signed by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and circulated to courts across Afghanistan. The code reportedly classifies spousal beatings as “ta’zir,” or discretionary punishment, rather than a criminal offence.

Afghan Taliban allow husbands to beat wives without breaking bones: Report 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Thursday summoned Afghanistan&rsquo;s deputy head of mission and lodged a strong protest over a terrorist attack in Bajaur that resulted in the martyrdom of 11 Pakistani soldiers. It said the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there. According to the Foreign Office, the government condemned &ldquo;in strongest possible terms&rdquo; the vehicle-borne suicide bombing followed by a fire assault on a military and law enforcement post in the district. He said Pakistan has received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime but has not seen concrete action. Andrabi said Pakistan called on the Afghan Taliban regime to take immediate and verifiable steps against all militant groups operating from its territory, including their leadership. He stated that Pakistan informed the Afghan Taliban regime that it reserves the right to act against members of the Fitna al-Khawarij group and their affiliates wherever they are located to protect its soldiers, civilians, and territorial boundaries. Separately, while speaking to the media, the foreign office said that the country&rsquo;s patience was &ldquo;obviously not unlimited&rdquo; when it came to Afghanistan&rsquo;s actions, adding that the country reserved the right &ldquo;of any action in our right to self-defense.&rdquo; Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that there was &ldquo;no positive response from Afghanistan to Pakistan&#39;s very legitimate demands that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism inside Pakistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;So as long as this demand is not met, while exercising patience, all options would obviously remain on table,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;we cannot let our people to be killed mercilessly.&rdquo;

The photograph shows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Islamabad, Pakistan. (File Photo: PTV)

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said officials told the Afghan Taliban representative that the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there.

Pakistan delivers strong demarche to Afghan diplomat after Bajaur terrorist attack 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that the terrorist attacks in the country are the result of a &quot;proxy war&quot; waged by India in complicity with the Taliban government in Kabul. In an interview with FRANCE 24, he also spoke about the situation in Gaza, saying that Pakistan is ready to contribute to an international peace force if the conditions are ripe. Addressing the security situation in Pakistan and the recent bombing of a mosque in the capital Islamabad, Asif stated that &quot;almost all the franchises of terrorism&quot; are present in Pakistan &quot;because of the non-seriousness of the Kabul government toward curbing terrorism,&quot; adding that complicity would be a better word. &lsquo;Won&rsquo;t hesitate&rsquo;Asif went on to say that Pakistan &quot;won&#39;t hesitate&quot; to conduct new strikes on Afghanistan, unless someone in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-russia-discuss-security-threats-from-afghanistanbased-groups" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kabul</a>&nbsp;can &quot;underwrite peace.&quot; He said that India was waging a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/four-facilitators-of-islamabad-mosque-attacker-afghan-mastermind-arrested-security-sources" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">&quot;proxy war&quot;</a>&nbsp;against Pakistan and that New Delhi and Kabul were &quot;on the same page&quot; when it came to striking Pakistan. Asif emphasized that war with India was still &quot;a possibility.&quot; &#39;Not even being considered&#39;Asked about Pakistan&#39;s possible contribution to an international stabilization mission in Gaza, Asif stressed that this would depend on &quot;what sort of terms of reference are drafted for that peace force.&quot; He pointed out that Pakistan has significant experience as a contributor to United Nations peacekeeping forces and said that participating in the Gaza force would be a &quot;good opportunity&quot; to advance a two-state solution in the Middle East. Despite the normalization of relations between several Muslim countries and Israel, Asif said that he doesn&#39;t see &quot;this option being even considered by Pakistan&quot; unless Palestinians are granted &quot;the right of self-determination in their own homeland&quot; within the framework of a two-state solution.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that the terrorist attacks in the country are the result of a 'proxy war' waged by India in complicity with the Taliban government in Kabul.

New Delhi, Kabul 'on the same page' for striking Pakistan, says Khawaja Asif 

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan Women&rsquo;s Rights Watch says it documented 411 cases of rights violations against women and girls in Afghanistan in 2025, including nearly 300 incidents described as &ldquo;direct violence against women&rdquo; allegedly attributed to the Taliban, according to the group&rsquo;s annual report released this week. The report, titled From Marginalization to Erasure, was launched on Saturday, Feb. 14, in Kayseri, Turkiye, during an event attended by academics, civil society representatives, and Afghan and Turkish women&rsquo;s rights activists. The launch was organised in cooperation with the Turkiye-based ARSA Association. According to the organization, the findings were compiled from victims&rsquo; testimonies and cross-referenced with multiple credible international documents. Killings and suicidesThe report recorded at least 76 cases described as &ldquo;intentional killings&rdquo; of women and girls in 2025, though it did not specify the alleged perpetrators. The highest number of cases 16 was reported in Nangarhar Province. Researchers also documented more than 30 cases of suicide and self-immolation among women and girls over the past year, raising concerns about worsening mental health conditions and social pressures facing women under current restrictions. Allegations of abuse in detentionThe report further cited at least three cases of sexual violence in Taliban detention centers, including two incidents reported in Balkh Province. The Taliban authorities have not publicly responded to the report&rsquo;s findings. Calls for international actionZakera Hekmat, head of Afghanistan Women&rsquo;s Rights Watch, said during the launch event that addressing systematic violence against Afghan women is not solely a domestic matter but a global responsibility. She criticized what she described as the silence and inaction of the international community in response to continuing violations of women&rsquo;s fundamental rights during nearly four years of Taliban rule. Hekmat warned that continued inaction risks reinforcing policies that exclude women from Afghanistan&rsquo;s social, educational, and political life. Bulut Reyhanoglu, a Turkish filmmaker and global solidarity ambassador advocating for Afghan women, said the systematic exclusion of Afghan women from public life has created what he termed a &ldquo;gender crisis&rdquo; extending beyond Afghanistan&rsquo;s borders. He urged the international community to move beyond diplomatic engagement and take practical steps to protect Afghan women&rsquo;s fundamental rights, warning that continued silence could normalize gender-based oppression and discrimination. Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban-led administration has faced sustained international criticism over restrictions on women&rsquo;s education, employment, and participation in public life since returning to power in 2021.

Women and children who have returned to Afghanistan, wait to be seen at a maternity clinic (Photo: UNFPA)

The report records at least 76 cases described as “intentional killings” of women and girls in 2025, though it did not specify the alleged perpetrators. The highest number of cases are 16 reported in Nangarhar Province.

Annual report details killings, abuse of women under Taliban rule

<figure class="fr-media">ISLAMABAD: India has stepped up its engagement with Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government, delivering 131 cartons of the tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine to the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, according to state-run Bakhtar News Agency. Each carton reportedly contains 768 doses. The Td vaccine protects against diphtheria and tetanus, with the current batch produced in August 2025 and valid until July 2028.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/941d2999-ce05-42be-b7ea-cd3981ea5f75-Td vaccine.webp" alt="India donates 131 cartons of the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine to Afghanistan. (Photo: Bakhtar News Agency)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="text-align: left;">India donates 131 cartons of the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine to Afghanistan. (Photo: Bakhtar News Agency)</figcaption></figure>The shipment, received on Friday, follows India&rsquo;s recent donation of around 9.5 tons of anti-cancer medicines. Earlier, New Delhi also announced 20 ambulances for Afghanistan, five of which were handed over in October 2025. The growing outreach comes at a time when&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s ties with Pakistan are strained, especially over border tensions, and India&rsquo;s engagement is seen as a strategic counterbalance to Pakistan&rsquo;s influence. India also aims to limit Chinese dominance in Afghanistan through infrastructure and diplomatic presence. Pakistan had initially expected the authorities in Kabul to act decisively against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil. However, Islamabad has repeatedly <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-raises-concerns-over-indiaafghanistan-statement-rejects-afghan-ministers-remarks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">expressed concern</a> that no effective measures were taken despite its cautions over rising cross-border terrorism. The 37th report of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, issued on Feb. 4, endorsed Pakistan&rsquo;s position that Afghan territory continues to be used by terrorist groups to launch attacks. The report noted an <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-warns-ttp-emerging-as-significant-regional-threat-from-afghan-soil" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase in TTP attacks against Pakistan from Afghanistan</a>, leading to heightened regional tensions. It further stated that while the Afghan de facto authorities claimed no terrorist groups were operating inside the country, no UN member state supported this view. The report observed that the TTP was accorded greater operational freedom, resulting in a surge in attacks inside Pakistan. It also highlighted that Al Qaeda continued to benefit from patronage in Afghanistan and provided training and advisory support to militant groups, particularly the TTP. The group has been linked to many attacks, particularly in the latter half of 2025, contributing to heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. Last week, at least 33 people were martyred and around 169 others injured in a suicide blast at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers. Just this week, two police officers were martyred, and six others were injured in separate attacks in two districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan has taken firm steps to safeguard its national security, including targeted actions against militant hideouts and stricter border management measures. Officials maintain that durable peace in the region requires concrete action against terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil.

Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stands with his counterpart S. Jaishankar during his official visit to India on October 10, 2025. (File photo: X/Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The growing outreach comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and the Afghan interim government have faced challenges since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.


India deepens outreach to Afghanistan amid strains in Islamabad-Kabul ties

Web Desk/AFP

DUSHANBE: Tajikistan said Friday its border security officials had killed three &quot;drug traffickers&quot; crossing over from Afghanistan, in the latest clash on their mountainous border, AFP reported. Tajikistan shares a 1,350-kilometer (840-mile) frontier with Afghanistan and has tense relations with the Afghan Taliban. The Khovar state news agency quoted <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tajikistan-says-four-neutralised-in-latest-incident-on-afghan-border" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tajik officials</a> as saying that three of five &ldquo;drug traffickers&rdquo; were killed in the southern Khatlon region after showing &ldquo;armed resistance.&rdquo; Sixth deadly incidentTwo others &ldquo;managed to escape towards Afghanistan under the cover of darkness.&rdquo; This is the sixth deadly incident on the border that <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/five-killed-in-afghanistantajikistan-border-clash-heres-what-to-know" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tajikistan</a> has reported since November. According to a count by AFP based on official Tajik data, 19 people have been killed in total. These include Tajik border guards, Chinese workers, and what Dushanbe calls &quot;smugglers&quot; and &quot;terrorists,&quot; without providing details. Chinese condemnation&nbsp;The Chinese embassy in Tajikistan on Nov. 28, 2025, strongly condemned the armed attack that occurred on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on Nov. 26, which killed three Chinese nationals and injured another one, CGTN reported. The embassy, in a statement, demanded that Tajikistan urge the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the attack in Shamsiddin Shohin district of Khatlon region and severely punish the perpetrators. Taliban urged to act&nbsp;Tajikistan has called on the Afghan Taliban to address the incidents to avoid destabilizing the volatile border region, AFP reported. Tajikistan&#39;s longtime ruler Emomali Rakhmon has been critical of the Afghan authorities and has urged Kabul to respect the rights of ethnic Tajiks who account for a fourth of Afghanistan&#39;s population.

Central Asia

The Khovar state news agency quotes Tajik officials as saying that three of five ‘drug traffickers’ were killed in the southern Khatlon region after showing ‘armed resistance.’

Tajikistan says 3 'drug traffickers' killed on Afghan border

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&rsquo;s humanitarian crisis has shifted from scarcity to poverty, with markets well supplied but nearly 22 million people unable to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/afghanistan-hunger-crisis-deepens-as-47-million-face-emergency-food-shortages-wfp" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">afford food</a>, according to recent humanitarian assessments. Grocery shelves across the country remain stocked with wheat, rice and cooking oil, yet access is constrained by collapsing incomes rather than shortages. The REACH Initiative&rsquo;s Quarterly Markets Overview &ndash; Spotlight on Supply found that &ldquo;declining household purchasing power, rather than market supply, is likely to be the primary constraint to access.&rdquo; Household earnings fall far below minimum needs. The Whole of Afghanistan Assessment showed the median household earns 8,100 Afghanis ($93) a month. In Ghor province, median income drops to 4,500 Afghanis ($69), insufficient to cover food&nbsp;costs&nbsp;alone. Earlier this week, the Taliban&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/afghanistan-bans-women-from-heavy-labour-in-nuristan-province" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">banned women</a>&nbsp;in Afghanistan&rsquo;s Nuristan province from engaging in heavy or physically demanding labor, citing the need to prevent what it called &ldquo;harmful customs and immoral practices.&rdquo; The order, announced in a statement on X by Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Muhajer Farahi, enforces the 17th decree of Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and was described by officials as part of efforts to &ldquo;reform society, preserve Islamic values, and prevent harmful traditions.&rdquo; The data points to a crisis fundamentally different from traditional famine conditions. Supply chains continue to function and goods remain available, but millions go hungry because they lack money, not because&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-kinnow-records-strong-growth-despite-afghan-market-closure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">markets</a>&nbsp;lack food. Aid gaps are widening as funding contracts. The International Rescue Committee&rsquo;s Protection Monitoring Report found that 30.8% of internally displaced people receive no financial assistance. The share of households that have exhausted all aid rose to 19% from 15% in October 2024, according to IOM data. Financial assistance is now the top priority for 25.1% of households, while fewer than 3% receive food assistance, IPC data showed. One-quarter of Afghanistan&rsquo;s population faces Crisis-level food insecurity, the IPC analysis found. Only 20% of households rely primarily on employment, while 37% depend on social transfers and humanitarian aid, the IRC reported. This dependence leaves families acutely vulnerable when assistance is reduced or withdrawn. Environmental shocks have compounded the economic collapse. Afghanistan entered its fifth consecutive year of drought in 2025, creating a grain deficit of 3 million tonnes, according to FAO data. Agriculture, which provides one-third of food consumption and nearly half of household income, has been severely damaged. Natural disasters have further strained livelihoods. An August earthquake caused damage exceeding 1% of GDP, World Bank estimates showed. A November earthquake struck areas where one-third of households suffered catastrophic losses. Humanitarian access has also deteriorated. The UN&rsquo;s Afghanistan Humanitarian Access Snapshot recorded 107 access&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-envoy-presses-taliban-on-womens-rights-during-kabul-visit" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">incidents</a>&nbsp;in December, up 16% from November. Taliban interference accounted for 84 incidents, or 78%, including restrictions on female aid workers and demands for beneficiary lists. Four incidents involved the detention of 10 aid workers, eight of them women. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-government-instituted-systematic-institutionalized-campaign-to-erase-afghan-women-un-experts" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Women</a>&nbsp;bear a disproportionate share of the impact. Women-headed households make up 73% of those monitored, the IRC found, while Taliban restrictions on women&rsquo;s employment, education and movement have created what aid groups describe as a gender-specific economic crisis within the broader emergency. Displacement continues despite limited prospects for recovery. Nearly 73% of displaced people have been uprooted for more than two years, with a median displacement of 1,095 days, according to IOM data. A further 325,000 people were newly displaced in the three months before October 2025. &ldquo;Returns to frontline areas are increasingly &lsquo;induced&rsquo; by exhaustion of coping capacities in displacement rather than improved safety,&rdquo; the IRC report said. Families, it added, are &ldquo;choosing danger over destitution,&rdquo; underscoring how economic collapse has overtaken security as the primary driver of movement. Australia announced $50 million in new humanitarian aid on Wednesday, bringing its total assistance to Afghanistan since 2021 to $310 million, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said. &ldquo;The situation in Afghanistan is dire,&rdquo; Foreign Minister Penny Wong said. &ldquo;Australia&rsquo;s humanitarian support will help save lives, alleviate suffering, and meet the basic needs of communities affected by the ongoing Afghanistan crisis.&rdquo;

In analyses published by humanitarian agencies, Afghanistan’s markets remain stocked, but collapsing incomes, aid cuts and Taliban restrictions have left nearly 22 million people food insecure, with one-quarter of the population in crisis and median monthly incomes at 8,100 Afghanis.

Afghan markets remain stocked but poverty leaves 22 million unable to buy

ISLAMABAD: United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo concluded a high-level visit to Kabul on Sunday, where she pressed the Taliban to lift restrictions on women&rsquo;s access to education, employment, and public life, according to a United Nations statement. During talks with senior Taliban officials, DiCarlo raised deep concerns over the increasingly severe limits placed on women&rsquo;s roles, including restrictions affecting female UN staff and broader societal bans on women&rsquo;s participation in public life. She urged the authorities to immediately rescind these measures to improve the humanitarian and human rights situation in the country.&nbsp; DiCarlo praised the vital role Afghan women working for the United Nations play in supporting humanitarian and development efforts across the country.&nbsp; According to the UN statement, she also met separately with Afghan women and civil society representatives to discuss the human rights situation in Afghanistan, underscoring the UN&#39;s concern over the status of women and girls in the country. The meetings come as Afghanistan remains under Taliban rule, with girls banned from attending school beyond the sixth grade and severe restrictions on women&#39;s employment and movement. Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid economic isolation, banking restrictions, and widespread poverty, with UN agencies warning of prolonged vulnerability for millions. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 21.9 million people (roughly 45% of the population) will require assistance in 2026. Doha process meetingIn a separate development during the visit, Taliban officials said DiCarlo and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani discussed continued engagement on the UN-led Doha Process, a diplomatic framework aimed at easing Afghanistan&rsquo;s political, security, and humanitarian crises.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015276343949459966&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=be69938480a04f03355573a307aee5882e3a6c03&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2015276343949459966"></iframe></div></div> According to the Taliban&rsquo;s Ministry of Interior, the talks covered international engagement, counter-narcotics cooperation, economic stability, and private-sector restrictions, as well as the effectiveness of UN humanitarian assistance, Bakhtar News Agency reported on Saturday. The Taliban statement said that DiCarlo announced that the next round of Doha Process working group meetings will be held in Kabul. The United Nations has not formally confirmed the location of the next working group sessions, which have previously been held in Qatar&#39;s capital.

Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo concluded her visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, on 25 January. (Photo/United Nations)

United Nations Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo discusses humanitarian access, economic conditions, and continued political engagement, while Taliban authorities said Kabul would host the next Doha process working group meeting.

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