Independent Election Commission chairperson says that only presidential election will take place on September 28.

Election commission chairperson Hawa Alam Nuristani at a press conference in Kabul says that only the presidential election will be held on September 28 and that other elections’ schedule will be announced later.

She attributed the reason of not holding the three elections on September 28 to lack of enough budget. Chairperson of Afghan Independent Election Commission stressed that for a transparent and inclusive election, only the platform to hold presidential election is possible on September 28.

US Embassy tweeted to welcome the new non-voting commissioners of the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan and Election Complaints Commission of Afghanistan.

The recent appointment of the commissioners is a gesture of the international community’s support for the Afghanistan Presidential Election.

The embassy tweeted that -” these highly respected elections experts will use their years of expertise as former members on their own national electoral bodies to advise the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan and Election Complaints Commission of Afghanistan in preparations for 2019 Afghanistan Presidential Elections”.

India Embassy in Kabul says that non-acceptance of Afghan passports starting with letter O is factually incorrect.

The news of non-acceptance of Afghan passports starting with letter O is factually incorrect, said India embassy in a tweet.

A number of social media users said on Wednesday that Shahir Travel Agency who process administrative work of Indian Visa application has announced that Afghan passports starting with letter “O” would not be accepted for visas at India Embassy in Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s political spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, says in a tweet that Afghan government’s envoys, Chairman of HPC Karim Khalili and Afghan ambassador to Russia will not be present in today’s Intra-Afghan meeting between Taliban and other politicians in Moscow.

Representatives of Afghan government attended a meeting on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Russia, not in Intra-Afghan talks between Taliban and Afghan political leaders, Suhail Shaheen said in a tweet on Wednesday.

He stressed that on Wednesday talks between Taliban delegates and a number of Afghan politicians, Karim Khalili and Afghanistan’s ambassador to Moscow are not scheduled.

Security officials have announced that six civilians were killed and injured as a result of an IED blast in Khost province.

While confirming this incident, Adel Haidar, spokesman of Khost Police Command told Reporterly on Wednesday that as a result of an IED blast in Chagi village in the surrounding of the centre of the province, one civilian was killed and five others were wounded.

The injured individuals include a woman and four children, according to Mr Haidar. He emphasized that the IED has been embedded by the Taliban but the group has not yet commented on this.

President Ghani said that the government is ready to provide security, technical and logistical cooperation for holding national and transparent elections.

Presidential Palace said that in a meeting between European Union, UNAMA and representatives from other countries who support election sector with the election commission officials was held on Tuesday.

In this meeting, the president stated that the government is ready to provide security, technical and logistical cooperation for holding nationwide and transparent elections, and the relevant institutions and authorities are directed in these sectors, the presidential palace said in a statement.

It is to say that, in this meeting, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) has shared its suggestions for the election calendar with the international community, and they have also expressed their cooperation for holding a better and timely Afghan presidential elections.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Candidates Council had raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the upcoming presidential election process.

National Security Council Office said that NSA Hamdullah Mohib and Acting Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi, who travelled to Pakistan on Tuesday met with Pakistan Army Chief of Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa. They discussed the Afghan peace process, cooperation on counterterrorism and regional economic connectivity.

Previously, Afghan National Security Council spokesman had said that Hamdullah Mohib was invited by Gen Qamar Bajwa Pakistan Army Chief of Staff to visit Pakistan.

It is said that in this visit Afghanistan has given a list of Taliban safe havens in Pakistan, demanding theirs dismantle.

Local officials reported the killing of 16 Taliban insurgents in Ghazni province in the past 24 hours.

As a result of the air operation of Resolute Support Mission and Afghan commandos in Khatak, Kansaf, Malangi, Ghatan and Barkat areas of Andar, Galen, Giro and Khwaja Omari districts of Ghazni province, 16 Taliban insurgents were killed, said Ghazni media office on Wednesday.

One individual was arrested in the operation and a vehicle was also destroyed, according to the Ghazni press office.

President’s Special Envoy & CEO of the High Peace Council M Umer Daudzai met with the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, Nick Kay to discuss the results & follow-up of Peace Consultative Loya Jirga.

The two delegates also discussed the efforts of Intra-Afghan dialogue, the future plans of the Peace Council & the recent travels to Germany & India.

NATO representative has promised his full support for any future plans.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that the reason behind no invitation to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to the swearing-in ceremony of the leader of the largest democracy PM Narendra Modi was because he bashed Pakistan’s action during his election campaign.

Pakistani media reported that because Narendra Modi used Pakistan in his election campaign and condemned the nation for its activities, the nation didn’t send out an invitation to the neighbour nation for the ceremony.