After signing an agreement with the Afghan government on Tuesday, Etisalat Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates or UAE based telecommunications service provider, will launch the country's first trial 4G network.

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The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan has dropped for the first time in six years, but the number of injured has increased, according to a United Nations report on civilian casualties.

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‪Afghanistan will fall to insecurity and instability if the presidential elections are held with fraud, said Zalmai Rasool, the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.‬

‪On a visit with Balkh's governor Atta Mohammad Noor‬ ‪in Mazar e Sharif, alongside parliament representatives, Rasool said that the government is attempting to hold a transparent presidential election in 2014.‬
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‪"If the election is transparent and a democratic political transition can occur, then I assure you that Afghanistan will move towards improvement and stability - otherwise we will face big problems in the future," said Rasool.‬
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‪The minister denied any secret negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, pointing to the fact that the Qatar office is still not open.‬
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‪Peaceful negotiations will continue with the Taliban only if they accept Afghanistan's constitution, added Rasool.‬
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‪"First, we will negotiate with those Taliban who want peace. Second, they should respect Afghanistan's constitution - which is a big achievement in the country. Last, they should lay down their arms," said Rasool. "And then, we will welcome them as Afghan citizens to come and participate in the election." ‬
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Governor Noor agreed, saying he welcomes peaceful negotiations with Taliban but added that the terms of the negotiations should be clearly defined.‬
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‪"There should be a clear mechanisms and rules about the Taliban who join the peace process," said Noor. "For example, how can they be effective in the peace process? Can they persuade others to join in the process? What about the issue of them going back and joining the opposing group. There must be clear and effective mechanisms at play."

Widespread corruption in Afghanistan's judicial system has led more than fifty percent of Afghans to use traditional courts and courts governed by the Taliban says Afghan Integrity Watch.

"Our figures show people choose unofficial organizations; mainly community councils, drumhead court-martial, and the Taliban trials – especially in cases related to land issues in which they are asked to pay a lot of money," said Yama Torabi, head of Afghan Integrity Watch.

Lawyers and observers also suggest that corruption in the Afghan judicial system is uncontrollable.

"The bureaucracy is devastating in the judicial system - it forces victims or people seeking justice to refer to other organizations. Everyone knows what they will have to face in the court system: bribes, outside pressure and people who meddle in the middle," said Moosa Fariwar, a Kabul University teacher.

Law enforcement, public hearings, an increase in judicial capacity and watch dogs, as well as providing public awareness are some of the resolutions to reducing corruption inside the country's judiciary system and providing greater justice says Afghan Integrity Watch.

The lack of courts in many parts of Afghanistan is another barrier forcing people to seek community councils and traditional methods to obtain justice.

The Supreme Court failed to respond to request for comment.

The United States will be the biggest contributor in the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan, a U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday.

"The United States backs independent Afghan elections in accordance with the Afghan constitution. Independent elections are critical for Afghanistan's future," said Karen Decker, the senior civilian representative for the coalition's Regional Command-East. "The United States will do everything we can to support free and fair elections."

Speaking at a conference held in Kapisa province, the envoy pointed out that Afghanistan would not be left unaccompanied after 2014. The United States is committed to equipping the local security forces and developing Afghanistan's economy.

Kapisa's provincial governor, Mehrabuddin Safi, said operations to clear out insurgents will be carried out in the districts of Tagab and Alasai just ahead of the elections.

"There are security challenges in districts of Tagab and Alasai. We are preparing to have military operations before the presidential elections and have security forces ready to help with the groundwork for the elections."

Officials did not provide details on when the operations will start.

In an official letter addressed to Afghanistan's Ulema Council, Pakistani clerics said on Tuesday that they will not be attending the upcoming Kabul clergy conference.

The letter, signed by Mufti Abu Huraira Mohuiddin, head of the Pakistani clerics, says they are not willing to criticize any of the Afghan Taliban's pasts activities, nor would they issue a Fatwa against them.

Afghanistan's Ulema Council has expressed regret the over the Pakistani cleric's decision not to attend the conference.

The Afghan Ulema Council said last week that the two parties agreed on holding the Kabul conference with a total of 500 participants, 250 from each country.

"We met the Pakistani committee over a period of two days. There was a group of seven people - all senior Ulema. We first agreed that the Afghanistan and Pakistan Ulema would hold a conference in Kabul in March. Then we decided that 250 Ulema from each country would attend," said Aminuddin Mozaffari, an Afghan Ulema member, at a press conference in Kabul last Tuesday.

U.S. news syndicate McClatchy published a recent report stating some of Pakistan's scholars would reject the conference unless the Taliban were also to take part - a rejection that would inevitably bring new challenges at the many attempts to woo the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Mozaffari dismissed the comment however, saying that McClatchy's report held an opinion and there are always people who try to challenge the process. Mawlawi Mohammad Shafee Noorestani, another Afghan Ulema member, said the council is working towards a solution.

"In order to find a solution for these challenges, the Ulema's work is beneficial to help solve the problem," he told TOLO news last week.

The conference was originally to be held with Islamic scholars from across the Muslim world; however, the Afghan Ulema said the joint Afghan-Pakistan conference would indicate if it was necessary to hold another conference with a global representation.

The conference, which was to be held this Thursday in Kabul, was to focus on Taliban activities, in particular, suicide attacks - declaring them haraam, or a sin.

A Taliban leader, Mohammad Akhund was killed in a joint Afghan and Nato troops operation in southern Helmand province on Tuesday, Isaf said.

"An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader, Mohammad Akhund, and one other insurgent with a precision strike during an operation in Nahr-e-Saraj district, Helmand province yesterday," Isaf said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mohammad Akhund was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He was also crucial in coordinating the production and emplacement of improvised explosive devices in Helmand province, the statement said.

It comes as a Haqqani facilitator and four other insurgents were arrested in joint Afghan and Nato operation in the southern Kandahar province on Wednesday, according to Isaf.

Isaf believes the Haqqani facilitator was responsible for managing supply routes from Kandahar city to various other provinces. He was also believed to have been instrumental in the acquisition and distribution of lethal aid to Haqqani fighters for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Three other insurgents were killed in a joint operation and another insurgent was captured in Charkh district of Logar province.

"As the security force approached the Taliban leader's suspected location, insurgents maneuvered toward the Afghan and coalition troops. After positively identifying the lethal threat, the security force engaged the insurgents, killing three," Isaf announced.

The Taliban leader is believed to be responsible for distributing weapons to insurgent forces in Logar province, and for planning and executing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

The security force also seized a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, multiple RPG rounds, multiple AK-47s and one machine gun as a result of this operation.

Seven other insurgents were also killed in separate operations in eastern Khost and Ghazni provinces on Tuesday.

Russia on Tuesday announced that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem would visit Moscow next week for talks aimed at finding a way out of the two-year Syria conflict.

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India, the United States and Afghanistan met in New Delhi Tuesday to discuss political, security and economic cooperation in the wake of US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The three sides agreed to continue this trilateral process to foster regional peace and security and facilitate the development of Afghanistan.

The US lauded India's role in regional cooperation to help Afghanistan.

"The US side expressed particular appreciation for India's leading role in helping to advance opportunities for regional trade and investment and noted our shared interest in advancing the New Silk Road vision of connectivity between South and Central Asia with Afghanistan at its core," a State Department spokesperson told India media on the conclusion of the tri-lateral dialogue in New Delhi.

Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin led the Afghan delegation; the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Mr. Robert O. Blake, Jr. represented the US, while Additional Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Shri Y. K. Sinha represented the host nation.

The summit is a follow-up to the first trilateral dialogue hosted by Afghanistan in New York on September 25, 2012.

The trilateral summit comes after US President Barack Obama announced that 34,000 American troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in the next one year.

The Ministry of Finance said that broadening the tax net could be an important step toward financial self-sufficiency for Afghanistan, indicating that a large number of taxpayers evade taxes or don't pay taxes on time.

"We are endeavoring to make grounds for more tax payments and encourage taxpayers to pay their taxes on time," said Ahmad Shah Zamanzai, head of the ministry's General Revenues Department.

But a number of individuals and foreign companies, especially some US military contractors, are exempt from taxes. The government is trying to abolish those exemptions to increase tax revenues.

"We are endeavoring to remove these exemptions, as these incomes could increase our revenues. We have [already] made some progress in this regard," Zamanzai said.

The ministry classifies business into three categories of large, medium and small enterprises for tax purposes. There are currently 400 large, 12,000 medium, and 20,000 small companies in Kabul alone.

The tax law has set income tax rates between two to 20 percent, and sales tax rates of two, five, and 10 percent. Income taxes are two percent for salaries between $200 to $250, ten percent for salaries between $250 to $2,000, and 20 percent for salaries over $ 2,000 per month.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the biggest challenges to tax collection are insecurity, a lack of sufficient capacity for tax collection and tax evasion.

Independent analysts also point to other problems such as corruption inside tax offices and bribes by taxpayers to reduce tax payments.

The Taliban shadow governor for the Dehdadi District of Balkh province and 15 of his fighters have joined the peace process after mediation by tribal elders and the provincial peace council.

Gul khan, the shadow governor, is believed to have trained in Pakistan and worked with insurgent groups in Balkh province for the last four years.

"We are tired of war, so we are joining the peace process. I ask all my disaffected brothers to join the peace process to bring lasting security in our country," Gul Khan said.

The provincial peace council asked the government to help those who join the peace process reintegrate into society.

"The relevant [government] organs should try to create job opportunities for people joining the peace process to prevent them from reverting to the insurgency," Akhtar Muhammad Ibrahimkhil said.

According to the provincial peace council, around 300 insurgents have laid down their weapons in Balkh over the last 18 months.

The second vice president warned Wednesday that the Afghan government will no longer tolerate the bloodshed against Afghan immigrants in Quetta, Pakistan, referring to the latest attack by the banned extremist militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi that killed about 90 and wounded about 200.

About thirty of those killed in the blast were Afghan refugees living in Quetta, and Vice President Khalili urged Pakistan to take serious measures to protect their lives.

"Pakistan...should consider serious actions to protect Afghan immigrants in the country," said Mohammad Karim Khalili.

The vice president said that Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan has been asked to visit Quetta to investigate the terrorist incident.

Meanwhile, a number of Kabul residents have staged a sit-in and hunger strike to protest the attacks that target the Hazara resident of Quetta, who are mostly Shia. Khalili visited the protesters and expressed solidarity with their cause.

Ahmad Zia Massoud, leader of the opposition National Front, lauded the protesters and said that such action could lead to better security for Afghan immigrants.

"Your strike is for humanity, and it will apply pressure on Pakistan to provide security for Hazaras," said Massoud.

Meanwhile, a number of MPs condemned the continued killings of Hazaras in Quetta.
"More than 200 people have been killed in the (latest) attacks. The government of Pakistan is obligated to refer the perpetrators to the judicial organs," said Farhad Majidi, MP.

The Saturday attack, claimed by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, came after a previous attack in January, which the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said was the deadliest attack on record for the Pakistan's Shiites. HRW also said that more than 400 people had been killed in 2012, mostly in bomb attacks and drive-by shootings.

The government will consult with a broad cross-section of the country through a jirga to decided whether to ratify the security pact with Washington, the second vice president said Wednesday.

Vice President Khalili added that the jirga is expected to take place sometime in June this year.

"The government refers to the people to decide on some important issues. The signing of the strategic agreement [technically] allows us to sign the security pact, but to strengthen this matter the government wants to consult with the people," Khalili said.

Opposition political parties have strongly opposed the use of jirgas to decide important national matters.

"Often, meetings are held under them name of jirgas. With all due respect to attendees of such jirgas - my point isn't about the people - but according to the law, that's a misuse of jirgas, not an exercise to give people representation," said opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah.

The opposition parties believe Afghanistan faces significant security challenges as Isaf troops withdraw and should therefore prioritize the signing of the pact.

"A jirga means additional talk. The security pact is part of the long-term [strategic] cooperation agreement that was signed between the two countries. The jirga is, in a way, a misuse of the budget," said Astana Shirzad, head of the Afghan National Party.

The issue if legal immunity for US troops is one of the sticking points in the security pact, but some opposition parties are urging the government to ignore the issue. They believe that Afghanistan should follow the example of other countries that host US troops with legal immunity.

Afghanistan's Ulema Council has shown mixed reaction to their Pakistani counterparts' refusal to attend a joint summit, with some Afghan clergy blaming Pakistani's Ulema Council for supporting the Afghan Taliban.

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Top news in this Bulletin:

Afghanistan's Ulema Council has shown mixed reaction to their Pakistani counterparts' refusal to attend a joint summit, with some Afghan clergy blaming Pakistani's Ulema Council for supporting the Afghan Taliban.

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The United States will be the biggest contributor in the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan, a U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday.

"The United States backs independent Afghan elections in accordance with the Afghan constitution. Independent elections are critical for Afghanistan's future," said Karen Decker, the senior civilian representative for the coalition's Regional Command-East. "The United States will do everything we can to support free and fair elections."

Speaking at a conference held in Kapisa province, the envoy pointed out that Afghanistan would not be left unaccompanied after 2014. The United States is committed to equipping the local security forces and developing Afghanistan's economy.

Kapisa's provincial governor, Mehrabuddin Safi, said operations to clear out insurgents will be carried out in the districts of Tagab and Alasai just ahead of the elections.

"There are security challenges in districts of Tagab and Alasai. We are preparing to have military operations before the presidential elections and have security forces ready to help with the groundwork for the elections."

Officials did not provide details on when the operations will start.

In an official letter addressed to Afghanistan's Ulema Council, Pakistani clerics said on Tuesday that they will not be attending the upcoming Kabul clergy conference.

The letter, signed by Mufti Abu Huraira Mohuiddin, head of the Pakistani clerics, says they are not willing to criticize any of the Afghan Taliban's pasts activities, nor would they issue a Fatwa against them.

Afghanistan's Ulema Council has expressed regret the over the Pakistani cleric's decision not to attend the conference.

The Afghan Ulema Council said last week that the two parties agreed on holding the Kabul conference with a total of 500 participants, 250 from each country.

"We met the Pakistani committee over a period of two days. There was a group of seven people - all senior Ulema. We first agreed that the Afghanistan and Pakistan Ulema would hold a conference in Kabul in March. Then we decided that 250 Ulema from each country would attend," said Aminuddin Mozaffari, an Afghan Ulema member, at a press conference in Kabul last Tuesday.

U.S. news syndicate McClatchy published a recent report stating some of Pakistan's scholars would reject the conference unless the Taliban were also to take part - a rejection that would inevitably bring new challenges at the many attempts to woo the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Mozaffari dismissed the comment however, saying that McClatchy's report held an opinion and there are always people who try to challenge the process. Mawlawi Mohammad Shafee Noorestani, another Afghan Ulema member, said the council is working towards a solution.

"In order to find a solution for these challenges, the Ulema's work is beneficial to help solve the problem," he told TOLO news last week.

The conference was originally to be held with Islamic scholars from across the Muslim world; however, the Afghan Ulema said the joint Afghan-Pakistan conference would indicate if it was necessary to hold another conference with a global representation.

The conference, which was to be held this Thursday in Kabul, was to focus on Taliban activities, in particular, suicide attacks - declaring them haraam, or a sin.

A Taliban leader, Mohammad Akhund was killed in a joint Afghan and Nato troops operation in southern Helmand province on Tuesday, Isaf said.

"An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader, Mohammad Akhund, and one other insurgent with a precision strike during an operation in Nahr-e-Saraj district, Helmand province yesterday," Isaf said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mohammad Akhund was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He was also crucial in coordinating the production and emplacement of improvised explosive devices in Helmand province, the statement said.

It comes as a Haqqani facilitator and four other insurgents were arrested in joint Afghan and Nato operation in the southern Kandahar province on Wednesday, according to Isaf.

Isaf believes the Haqqani facilitator was responsible for managing supply routes from Kandahar city to various other provinces. He was also believed to have been instrumental in the acquisition and distribution of lethal aid to Haqqani fighters for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Three other insurgents were killed in a joint operation and another insurgent was captured in Charkh district of Logar province.

"As the security force approached the Taliban leader's suspected location, insurgents maneuvered toward the Afghan and coalition troops. After positively identifying the lethal threat, the security force engaged the insurgents, killing three," Isaf announced.

The Taliban leader is believed to be responsible for distributing weapons to insurgent forces in Logar province, and for planning and executing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

The security force also seized a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, multiple RPG rounds, multiple AK-47s and one machine gun as a result of this operation.

Seven other insurgents were also killed in separate operations in eastern Khost and Ghazni provinces on Tuesday.

Russia on Tuesday announced that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem would visit Moscow next week for talks aimed at finding a way out of the two-year Syria conflict.

Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Muallem would be in Moscow on February 25 "to discuss the Syria crisis and measures aimed at beginning dialogue" with the opposition.

But Gatilov -- Russia's pointman on the conflict -- added that Syria's National Coalition opposition leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib had still not accepted an invitation to visit Russia later this month.

Moscow appeared to have hoped to have the two visits coincide so they could present an opportunity for the Syrian government and the opposition to hold their first direct negotiations.

"There has been no specific decision on this account," Gatilov said of Khatib's visit. "There are no concrete dates for his visit to Moscow."

Khatib had said earlier he would only be willing to meet Russian officials at a neutral venue due to Moscow's support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia has vetoed three UN Security Council resolution censuring Assad for the violence and continues supplying the Syrian government with military hardware that Western and Arab nations believe are helping Damascus press on with its military campaign.

Gatilov confirmed that Russia continues to supply arms to Assad but argued that the shipments were legal because they were made under contracts signed before the violence broke out in March 2011.

"Yes, we have made deliveries within frameworks of previously agreed contracts. We made no secret about that," said Gatilov.

"All of this activity is being conducted within legitimate frameworks. What was agreed in the past in terms of special equipment and special technology is being realised.

India, the United States and Afghanistan met in New Delhi Tuesday to discuss political, security and economic cooperation in the wake of US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The three sides agreed to continue this trilateral process to foster regional peace and security and facilitate the development of Afghanistan.

The US lauded India's role in regional cooperation to help Afghanistan.

"The US side expressed particular appreciation for India's leading role in helping to advance opportunities for regional trade and investment and noted our shared interest in advancing the New Silk Road vision of connectivity between South and Central Asia with Afghanistan at its core," a State Department spokesperson told India media on the conclusion of the tri-lateral dialogue in New Delhi.

Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin led the Afghan delegation; the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Mr. Robert O. Blake, Jr. represented the US, while Additional Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Shri Y. K. Sinha represented the host nation.

The summit is a follow-up to the first trilateral dialogue hosted by Afghanistan in New York on September 25, 2012.

The trilateral summit comes after US President Barack Obama announced that 34,000 American troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in the next one year.