Provincial Council Elections

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Four civilians were killed in a roadside bombing in Naukhi village near Ghazni city, the capital of southern Ghazni province on Thursday, an official said. A resident of Naukhi village, Abdul Khaliq told Pajhwok Afghan News that this incident took place when a vehicle ferrying family members to attend an engagement ceremony struck a roadside bomb. Four passengers were killed and one was wounded in the explosion, he added. Andar District Chief Muhammad Qasim Desiwal acknowledged the death of four civilians.

GHAZNI (PAN): The Qarabagh district chief was seriously wounded during an attack by the Taliban in southern Ghazni province on Thursday, officials said. Eng. Zaitullah Azimi came under ambush in the afternoon, the governor's spokesman, Nabi Jan, told Pajhwok Afghan News. Azimi is currently under medical treatment at a hospital. Provincial police chief, Zarawar Zahid, confirmed the district chief was injured in Moshki area on his way to the provincial capital, Ghazni City.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Senior officials on Tuesday voiced deep concern at the growing number of foreign militants, aided by local fighters, in the restive southern province of Ghazni. Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada blamed a wave of recent unrest on foreign rebels, whose aim was to jeopardise efforts at preparing Ghazni City, the provincial capital, to serve as the Asian capital of Islamic civilisation.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Ghazni City, the capital of southern Ghazni province, would not be poised to host the 2013 year as the Asian Capital of the Islamic Civilisation because some ministries have failed to execute projects as part of the preparations, the governor said on Sunday. Akbrazada told a gathering in Ghazni city, some ministries were ignoring schemes they had promised and obliged to implement ahead of the event. "They are not honouring their promises with regard to the province development," the governor said.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Six newly-completed projects worth 15 million afghanis were inaugurated by Information and Cultural Minister Syed Makhdom Rahin in southern Ghazni province on Sunday. The projects include a new building for Ghazni Information and Cultural Department and renovated shrines of sufi saints including Syed Ahmad Makahai, Syed Jalal Agha, Turk Hazrat, Baba Ali and Syed Shah Agha. Rahin told the inauguration ceremony the number of development schemes, executed as part of Ghazni's preparations to host the 2013 year as Asian Capital of the Islamic Civilization, had reached 16.

KABUL (PAN): Some Wolesi Jirga (lower house) members on Saturday asked the government to ensure Ghazni City honoured its title of capital of Islamic culture as the celebrations began. The much-awaited ceremony to declare Ghazni City as the Asian Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilisation began at the governor’s office in Ghazni City, where more than 2,000 people gathered amid tight security. Vice President Karim Khalili, foreign ministers of several Islamic and neighbouring countries as well as foreign diplomats and parliamentarians attended the festival.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Some journalists on Saturday said they were barred from covering a just-started historic festival of celebrating the selection of Ghanzi city as the Asian capital of Islamic Civilization. The reporters said they were ordered to leave the governor's house, the venue of the festival that began on Saturday.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): A much-awaited ceremony to declare Ghazni City as the Asian Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilisation began on Saturday in the southern province, amid tight security measures, officials said. The week-long celebrations began at 10:20am at the governor’s office with recitation of some verses from the holy Quran, followed by playing the national anthem and reading out a message from President Hamid Karzai.

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Thirty-four schools remain closed due to insecurity in different parts of southern Ghazni province, an official said on Monday. In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Education Director Ehsanullah Nasher said 41 schools were closed across the province when he took charge. Since March 21, five schools had been reopened in Zankhan, Giru and Aab Band districts, but 34 others remained closed, he said. Two literacy centres also stay shut. Acting head of provincial council Abdul Jame also acknowledged the authorities’ failure to reopen the schools.

KABUL (PAN): Cultural Minister Syed Makhdom Raheen on Sunday denied if he ordered journalists out from a ceremony marking a week long festivities to declare Ghazni City as an Islamic Capital of Culture in 2013. Some journalists on Saturday said they were barred from covering the celebrations that began at the governor’s office amid tight security measures. More than 2,000 people including Vice President Karim Khalili, foreign ministers of several Islamic and neighbouring countries as well as foreign diplomats and parliamentarians attended the opening ceremony.