The newly-appointed police chief of southeastern Ghazni province Gen. Aminullah Amarkhil called on Taliban militants to renounce violence and join peace process, warning that the militants would be eliminated if they continue to their insurgency activities.

Gen. Amarkhil was speaking during an event organized for his introduction as the newly-appointed police chief of Ghazni province.

He said the Taliban militants should understand that they would never succeed to seize control of Ghazni city since the Afghan security forces are far more stronger than them and that the Afghan people are supporting their security forces.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani appointed Gen. Amarkhil to assume security charge of the restive Ghazni province by issuing a decree on Tuesday.

His appointment as Ghazni police chief comes amid rampant insurgency activities by the Taliban militants.

The Taliban militants have launched coordinated attack on the provincial city of Ghazni province but the Afghan security forces have repelled their attacks.

According to the local government officials, the Taliban militants were forced to retreat after they suffered heavy casualties during clashes with the security forces.

The officials further added at least 72 Taliban militants were killed with Gen. Amarkhil saying he will bring key changes in tactics to fight the Taliban insurgents in coming days.

Afghanistan Opium

Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has dropped for the first time in six years during the current year, according to a joint survey report by UN and Afghan government.

The annual survey report has been prepared by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Counter Narcotics.

The authors of the survey report said the decline was mainly due to unfavorable weather conditions and methodology used to estimate areas of poppy cultivation.

According to report, opium cultivation has reduced by 19 percent which is now cultivated in 183,000 hectares of land, down from 224,000 hectares last year.

The report further added that the potential production of opium has also declined to 48 percent due to lower levels of opium cultivation, 3,300 tons compared to 6,400 tons last year.

There was 36 percent reduction in average opium yield per hectare, the report, said adding that eradication was up 40 percent to 3,760 hectares from 2,692 hectares last year.

Zabiullah Daim, media adviser to Afghanistan’s counter-narcotics minister, said the favorable statistics was also due to public awareness efforts where farmers were informed regarding the dangerous and harmful effects of opium to Afghanistan and its future.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) – Afghanistan's intelligence agency has arrested nine terrorists on Kabul-Jalalabad highway from the jurisdiction of Nangarhar province.

A statement issued by NDS on Wednesday states that the terrorists were planning to attack military and civilian vehicles but detained before they could apply their plan.

They were detained red handed with a rocket launcher, PK machine gun, 4 Kalashinkovs, six pistols, three hand grenades, two anti-tank landmines and a wireless transmitter, the statement adds.

The arrested terrorists are identified as Bashirullah, Tahirullah, Wahidullah, Hamid, Ghulam-ur-Rahman, Obaidullah, Mir Hamza, Bilal and Abdul Rashid who were also envolved in planting landmines and terror of eminent figures.

11 children were recovered during a separate raid in Jalalabad city that the insurgents planned to send to Pakistan for terrorist training, the statement adds.

These children were brought in to the city from Shigal District of Kunar province under the pretext of religious studies by specific individuals, the statement states.  They were later returned to their families.

Taliban have attacked a number of security posts in Bala Buluk District of western Farah province.

Reports suggest that dozens of Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) have been surrounded by Taliban in this district.

A policeman told Khaama Press by telephone that Taliban are about 100 meters away from them.

Yelling for help, he said “if immediate support does not arrive to Shiwan area, we will all die.”

He further said that two policemen have embraced martyrdom and six others wounded so far.

A reliable security source who wished not to be named said that around 50 policemen are encircled in the area.

He added that Humayoun Dilawar who is the police commander there has escaped to the provincial capital.

But the police commander rejected report about escaping from the area. Dilawar said he is trying to prepare support for the policemen who have been surrounded for three days.

A Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack has left seven people killed and 13 others wounded at a political office in Punjab province of Pakistan.

Reports suggest that the blast took place inside the political office of a member of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in Taunsa area of Dera Ghazi Khan District on Wednesday.

Dera Ghazi Khan's Police Chief Ghulam Mubasshir Maken while confirming the incident said that a fire broke out inside the office following the blast.

He said there are two candidates for union council among those killed in the incident.

Soon after the blast security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident.

Sardar Khosa, head of the office who was not present by the time the blast took place said that it could be the reaction of the ongoing military Operation against terrorists.

The responsibility of the blast has been claimed by TTP's Jamaat-ul-Ahrar splinter group.

A post on a twitter account attributed to TTP's spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan states they will continue their attacks until the establishment of an Islamic System in Pakistan.

In August, a suicide attack on another political office claimed the lives of 18 people including Punjab's Home Minister Shuja Khanzada.

A member of parliament has claimed that Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour recently visited Ghazni province and led militant attacks there.

Arif Rahmani who represents Ghazni province in Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of the Parliament said during Wednesday's session that Mullah Mansour stayed in Nawa District for five days to lead operation.

This was the first time he came to Afghanistan, even though, government knew about it but no actions taken against him, Rahmani said.

Giving insight about the recent failed attack of Taliban on Ghazni city, Rahmani said that they "Taliban" planned to explode several car bombs and other militants to storm the provincial capital but security forces foiled the plan.

He said Taliban are now planning to attack Qara Bagh and Moqar districts.

Rahmani's comments come after the Deputy Chief of Staff of Afghan National Army said that they prevented the arrival of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in northern Kundoz province.

General Murad Ali Murad said that Taliban planned to occupy the province's capital for a few days and bring their supreme leader for a press conference to show that he is in Afghanistan.

Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour is believed to be in Pakistan.

The lawmakers in the Lower House of the Parliament – Wolesi Jirga rejected a legislative decree by the Presidential Palace to charge 10 per cent tax on mobile users.

The decree was unanimously rejected by the lawmakers during their session this morning.

The subscribers of the telecom companies started paying 10 per cent tax on every top-up with effect from last month.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) officials said the telecommunication tax was imposed in a bid to increase the government revenue.

According to officials the government collected more than 160 million AFS over a period of two weeks since the tax collection started on 23rd September.

The officials in the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology said they have employed a new system to ensure transparency in collection of tax.

"After many days of non-stop hard work, fortunately we have now a Semi-Real Time Data Management System in place that can give us detailed information on the number of subscribers and varying trends of the market activities; For example with MTN, AWCC and Salaam data we have found that more than 76% of subscribers are those who have charged 50 Afgs one time top up and the tax collected by these subscribers forms 62% of total amount," Telecommunication Minister Abdul Razaq Wahidi told a press conference earlier this month.

The government’s decision to apply tax on mobile users comes as the telecommunication sector has seen a remarkable growth in the country in the recent decade.

More than 20 million people are reportedly subscribed to mobile phone services with 2 million of them using internet services across the country.

Bank Shahr or the City Bank of Iran that delivers essential funding for development and infrastructure projects across Iran is ready to assist Afghanistan establish a similar bank.

The ethos of the bank is innovation in service which applies to both the retail banking services and way to support urban development.

"We have been able to draw trust of people in our seven years of service through our modern ways of banking. We raised our capital from $58 million to $550 million throughout this period," said head of the bank in a meeting with visiting Afghan delegation.

Bank Shahr officials said if Afghanistan agrees they are ready to assist the country establish a similar bank to work for the city development and construction.

Afghanistan's Minister of Urban Development and Housing Sayed Sadat Mansoor Naderi who is leading the delegation to Iran welcomed the offer.

"The development of your bank shows strong administration and commitment of service. I welcome and back your offer to provide similar facilities for the people in my country." Naderi said.

Minister Naderi arrived in Iran on Saturday for the recruitment of Iranian investment for the housing projects in Afghanistan, expansion of cooperation for the roads and urban development, experience sharing, and looking at the affordable housing projects there.

Afghan forces have pushed back Taliban from one of their strongholds in northern Kundoz province.

Officials say Chahar Dara District has been retaken from Taliban after severe clashes.

An officer said that they are in the control of government compounds including the district's police HQ and governor's office.

He added that several Taliban have been killed in the operation backed by air strikes.

Mohammad Qasim Jangal Bagh, police chief of Kundoz province said that a clearance operation against Taliban is still in progress.

The district had fallen to Taliban few months before. Reports suggest that it was a stronghold and training site of Taliban from where they had planned the attack on Kundoz city.

The assault on the key northern city which led to the fall of it was the biggest Taliban raid after they were ousted from power in 2001.

The Presidential Palace 'ARG' has announced in a statement that government will put every effort to protect journalists, the announcement comes as Taliban threatened to attack the offices and staff members of Kabul-based 1TV and Tolo TV channels.

The statement released on Tuesday states that government supports the free, impartial and balanced activities of the media.

"The media and their free operations represent the expression and crystallization of the spirit of the freedom-loving people of Afghanistan, and the government fully supports the free, impartial and balanced activities of the media in giving information to the people," States the statement.

"The government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan recognizes any threat against journalists and media (In latest instance against Tolo and TV1 televisions) to be in contradiction to our national and religious principles and values as well as against the ruling laws of the country, and condemns it in the strongest terms."

The statement further states that media plays an important role in flourishing the democratic system and strengthening national and public interests and facilitating the continuation of it is government's responsibility.

"The Media and their workers have an important role in flourishing of the democratic system, giving information to the citizens as well as in strengthening national and public interests; facilitating continuation of this important and sacred mission remains responsibility of the government," the statement adds.

 "The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan reassures that in due consideration of the complete independence of the press, it will not hesitate to put every effort to ensure protection and safety of every journalist, as citizens of this country, and media organizations."

Yesterday in a press conference, Afghan journalists warned of boycotting the coverage of Taliban news if they harm journalists or media organizations.

In a statement released on Monday, Taliban accused 1TV and Tolo television channels of propagating against them and threatened to attack them and their staff members.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from now onwards does not recognize Tolo and 1 TV channels as media outlets but designates them as military objectives due to their disrespectful and hostile actions towards the Afghan Mujahid nation." The press release stated.

"Hereafter all the reporters and associates of these channels will be deemed enemy personnel, all of their centers, offices and dispatched teams will be considered military objectives which will be directly eliminated." The statement threatened.