KABUL: Afghanistan Former government enemy Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was sworn in as Afghanistan’s new prime minister last week amid the deadliest rebel assault on the Afghan capital.
Although many hoped the swearing-in ceremony would symbolize renewed peace efforts in Afghanistan, the day was marred by rocket attacks from the rebel Taliban militia.
Last week the rebel fighters spurned a peace offer from Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Afghanistan’s new prime minister, a day after their deadliest attack on the capital in a year that killed at least 62 people and wounded 130. Maulana Ghomi, the Taliban militia commander who ordered the barrage of more than 100 rockets last week, insisted that “the only way we can solve this problem is by fighting.” NEW DELHI: India is willing to have a dialogue with Pakistan on any subject including Kashmir, Indian External Affairs Minister Inder Kumar Gujral has said. In a recent interview, Gujral, who happens to be the most experienced minister in the United Front government, described India’s “response” to Pakistan’s offer for resumption of talks, stalled since January 1994, as “positive” and said “we are willing to hold talks on Kashmir.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1996
