Pakistan welcomes Afghanistan's ceasefire initiative with Taliban
Islamabad, Aug 19: Pakistan on Sunday welcomed the Afghan government's declaration of a three-month conditional ceasefire with the Taliban from Monday.
"Pakistan fully supports all such efforts that contribute to achieving durable stability and lasting peace in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan deserve it. Coinciding with the Independence Day of Afghanistan, the announcement (by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani) has an even greater significance," a Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted by Xinhua as saying.
"As we approach Eid-ul-Azha... we announce a ceasefire that would take effect from Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the Prophet (PBUH), Milad-un-Nabi, provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani said.
"We also call upon all parties that in defence to the holy tradition of sacrifice during Eid-ul-Azha to implement a ceasefire in hostilities -- preferably for a more extended period of time," the Pakistani spokesman said, adding the ceasefire would allow the people of Afghanistan to celebrate the festival in comfort and peace.
The spokesman said that Pakistan expects such steps will create an environment of enduring peace and stability.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
