Afghan president Ashraf Ghani speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul on November 1, 2014. Shah Marai/AFP Photo
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul on November 1, 2014. Shah Marai/AFP Photo

Rifts leave Afghan unity government weak in face of Taliban and ISIL



KABUL // When hundreds of shopkeepers gathered for a protest in Kabul over tax increases, a picture of the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, watched over them from a nearby building.

The demonstration in the capital’s Pashtunistan Square may have seemed like a relatively minor issue in a country at war, but it was just one indication that all is not well with the national unity government.

Barely six months after a US-brokered deal put together a new administration, the problems are piling up – causing anger in the corridors of power and on the streets.

Amid rumours of rifts between the president and his chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, a full cabinet has still not been formed. Meanwhile, efforts to improve relations with Pakistan have so far yielded no tangible results in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Security has also continued to deteriorate and the government has made the controversial decision to openly back Saudi Arabia’s position in the conflict in Yemen at the expense of Afghanistan’s neighbour Iran.

The shopkeepers’ peaceful demonstration on April 6 led to stores across the city closing for the day in a very public display of discontent. The protesters complained that a substantial increase in sales tax on their businesses was little more than officially sanctioned corruption. Many said they already paid high rents despite the fact the economy was in decline.

"We don't have good business now," said one shopkeeper, Abdul Hameed, who The National that the sales tax should be reduced. "If our demands are not met then all of these people will have to steal and turn to crime."

Mr Ghani was sworn in as president last September following a bitter election campaign that threatened to push the country into civil war. In the end, mediation from the United States ensured that Afghanistan’s first democratic transfer of power went ahead in the form of a national unity government that included Mr Ghani’s main rival, Mr Abdullah.

The deal saw both camps agree to work together, dividing positions up among an unlikely mix of technocrats, former communists and ex-mujaheddin.

From the very beginning many Afghans were concerned that the alliance could never work, but there was also relief that chaos had been averted. Now some politicians fear the government will do well to last much longer.

Helai Ershad represents Afghanistan’s nomadic Kuchi community in parliament and is a supporter of Mr Ghani. A sceptic of the national unity formula from the start, she believes the president was wrong to compromise when people had risked their “own blood” by supporting him in the election. She predicted the government would probably survive but that the country would face increased suffering.

“The problems we have now will increase to a high level for another five years, until our next election,” she said. “Our ministers will be chosen by one side and our deputy ministers by another side, which is a big problem. Our security will get worse and we will not be able to walk on the streets as we do now. We will not have the economy we have now and, finally, we will not have a responsible government.”

One of the defining aspects of Mr Ghani’s tenure has been his attempt to improve relations with Pakistan, which is widely thought to harbour the Taliban’s leadership and has long been viewed with suspicion in Afghanistan. While the president appears to regard this as the best way to achieve peace, he has been criticised for cosying up to an untrustworthy neighbour.

His recent decision to give vocal backing to the military campaign of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has also caused some controversy. Ms Ershad, however, said it should be seen in a similar vein as the rapprochement with Pakistan and supports both decisions.

But not everyone in parliament agrees. Ghulam Hussein Naseri, who represents Maidan Wardak province and is a supporter of Mr Abdullah, said the government ignored the constitution by failing to consult MPs on the Yemen issue. He added that Pakistan had not shown it is sincere about helping Afghanistan.

According to Mr Naseri, divisions over these issues are symptomatic of bigger problems within the administration. He told The National there are "very serious" differences between the two camps, including over ministerial appointments, that have left the government "not too far from collapse".

These differences came to light earlier this month when the nominee for minister of defence, General Afzal Ludin, withdrew his candidacy, citing “disunity between my countrymen”. His background as a senior official during the communist era is known to have angered former mujaheddin supporters of Mr Abdullah.

Shukria Barakzai, who was appointed by Mr Ghani to be the chair of a commission responsible for overseeing electoral reform, is also reported by Afghan media to have been removed from her role due to internal discord. High-level positions in the police and local government remain vacant across the country. The parliament approved 16 cabinet nominees on Saturday after months of delays, but the defence minister post remains vacant.

These vacancies have weakened the government further and left security forces struggling in the run up to the Taliban’s annual spring offensive – expected to be announced soon – and amid signs that ISIL is trying to gain a foothold in the country.

Adding to the insecurity, residents of Kabul have told The National that warlords and militiamen have grown in confidence under the new administration, acting with impunity under a government unwilling or unable to stop them.

In February a pharmacy store owner, Sayed Mohammed, was shot dead in a suburb of Kabul after he attempted to intervene on behalf of an elderly man involved in a land dispute. His brother, Haji Jan Mohammed Ahmadi, named the gunmen as Commander Qand and Commander Tela and said they were notorious locally for having links with powerful political figures associated with a former mujaheddin leader.

“The government hasn’t done anything for us yet but we hope it will give all sides their rights,” he said. “We have nothing in our hands – no power and no money. The only thing we have is a government and a system and we hope it will give us justice.”

foreign.desk@thenational.ae

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Biog:

Age: 34

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite sport: anything extreme

Favourite person: Muhammad Ali 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night 

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes 

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge

 

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

MATCH INFO

Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Results

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Anti-semitic attacks
The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.

It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.

The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media. 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Squad for first two ODIs

Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Bah

Born: 1972

Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992

Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old

Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school

 

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Pros%20and%20cons%20of%20BNPL
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPros%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEasy%20to%20use%20and%20require%20less%20rigorous%20credit%20checks%20than%20traditional%20credit%20options%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOffers%20the%20ability%20to%20spread%20the%20cost%20of%20purchases%20over%20time%2C%20often%20interest-free%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EConvenient%20and%20can%20be%20integrated%20directly%20into%20the%20checkout%20process%2C%20useful%20for%20online%20shopping%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHelps%20facilitate%20cash%20flow%20planning%20when%20used%20wisely%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECons%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20ease%20of%20making%20purchases%20can%20lead%20to%20overspending%20and%20accumulation%20of%20debt%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMissing%20payments%20can%20result%20in%20hefty%20fees%20and%2C%20in%20some%20cases%2C%20high%20interest%20rates%20after%20an%20initial%20interest-free%20period%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EFailure%20to%20make%20payments%20can%20impact%20credit%20score%20negatively%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERefunds%20can%20be%20complicated%20and%20delayed%0D%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ECourtesy%3A%20Carol%20Glynn%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT

Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: 
Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.