The Missing Pak-Afghan Link
The emerging debate over Durrand Line, the growing cross-border security tensions and most recently the vanishing of Afghani coins suggest one thing: the serious lack of Pak-Afghan cooperation.
There is lots of talk going on, but when it comes to practice, action is the pivotal missing component.
In order to flourish authority and ascertain its soverignty, the Afghan government must undertake action-oriented instruments and wide ranging strategies including but not limited to international pressure to get Pakistan to do more than paying lip service to external problems facing Afghanistan.
The deteriorating Pak-Afghan relations would hurt both nations, most notably Afghanistan as it struggles to stand on its own feet.
__________________________________________
Afghanistan’s coins scam: probe turns towards Pak Customs officials
The News International (Pakistan) / October 2, 2005
PESHAWAR: Investigation into the Afghan coins scandal has been directed towards Pakistani Customs officials, sources told The News.
According to sources the probe into missing of 21 tonnes of coins of denomination of two and five afghanis during transportation has turned into a mystery, as the Afghan government suspects Pakistani Customs’ officials involvement in the scam. However, Afghan diplomats in Pakistan are silent over the issue as they are awaiting directives from their government.
The scam came into the limelight following information provided to the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad and Afghanistan’s consulate in Peshawar that tons of coins of two and five afghanis go missing on way to Kabul. A team of Afghan diplomats serving at the Peshawar’s Consulate followed two trailers carrying the coins from Karachi.
After stopping at Torkham the trailers were check and were found almost empty. Only nine tons out of a total of 30 of coins were found in both the containers," a source closely monitoring the situation informed.
The two trailers were returned to Customs House Peshawar and given in the custody of Pakistan Customs officials.
There is lots of talk going on, but when it comes to practice, action is the pivotal missing component.
In order to flourish authority and ascertain its soverignty, the Afghan government must undertake action-oriented instruments and wide ranging strategies including but not limited to international pressure to get Pakistan to do more than paying lip service to external problems facing Afghanistan.
The deteriorating Pak-Afghan relations would hurt both nations, most notably Afghanistan as it struggles to stand on its own feet.
__________________________________________
Afghanistan’s coins scam: probe turns towards Pak Customs officials
The News International (Pakistan) / October 2, 2005
PESHAWAR: Investigation into the Afghan coins scandal has been directed towards Pakistani Customs officials, sources told The News.
According to sources the probe into missing of 21 tonnes of coins of denomination of two and five afghanis during transportation has turned into a mystery, as the Afghan government suspects Pakistani Customs’ officials involvement in the scam. However, Afghan diplomats in Pakistan are silent over the issue as they are awaiting directives from their government.
The scam came into the limelight following information provided to the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad and Afghanistan’s consulate in Peshawar that tons of coins of two and five afghanis go missing on way to Kabul. A team of Afghan diplomats serving at the Peshawar’s Consulate followed two trailers carrying the coins from Karachi.
After stopping at Torkham the trailers were check and were found almost empty. Only nine tons out of a total of 30 of coins were found in both the containers," a source closely monitoring the situation informed.
The two trailers were returned to Customs House Peshawar and given in the custody of Pakistan Customs officials.
posted by Afghan Reality @ 10:40 PM
7 comments
