Abdul Wali Ahmadzai was kidnapped by the Taliban in July.
Abdul Wali Ahmadzai was kidnapped by the Taliban in July.

Afghans back Taliban, says abducted senator



KABUL // It was early one morning this summer when Abdul Wali Ahmadzai began to understand the true strength of the Taliban in his province. As the senator for Logar travelled to a meeting, eight men armed with weapons including Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenade launchers stopped his convoy on a dirt road. He was held hostage for more than two months and would come away having witnessed a reality some insist does not exist.

"The important point is that the people support the Taliban. This is the main problem: now the people do not like the government and they support the Taliban," he said in an interview. Logar province lies on Kabul's southern border and after years of being portrayed as relatively safe, it has been thrust into the limelight by a number of brazen insurgent attacks. Mr Ahmadzai's kidnapping came in July, but the warning signs were around for a while. By the time he joined the senate as part of Afghanistan's 2005 parliamentary elections, he was already noticing an alarming trend. "When Hamid Karzai became president he made good relationships with commanders in the north and gave them lots of money and positions. But he did nothing for the south and east," he said. "I told [the government] please be careful because if the Taliban come back to Logar just once, it will be very difficult to stop them. But they didn't care, they didn't listen. Now you can see everyone is upset with the government and they have stopped talking and started fighting." Mr Ahmadzai, 40, had been an aid worker and a pharmacist before opting - reluctantly, he says - for a career in politics. Despite the dangers involved in his new job, he travelled twice a week from Kabul to his home province until that fateful day in July. He stayed in Logar on the eve of his kidnapping. Then, accompanied by three bodyguards and two cars full of elders, he set out the next morning for a meeting with local officials. At 8am the gunmen were waiting for him, their faces covered. He refused to put up a fight. "The Taliban have good intelligence. They know who is going out from the upper and lower houses of parliament, where they are going and when they are going," he said. He was soon handed over to a second group of insurgents. Over the two months he would be held at five or six different locations, always moving under the shelter of darkness. He stayed in empty homes and on one occasion was detained for 15 days near the office of a district governor. "The government's control was just on the main road and the places surrounded by walls and wire," he said. With him throughout was his driver, who had also been abducted. In the second half of their ordeal they were transferred to an area bordering the provinces of Ghazni, Paktia and Logar. Mr Ahmadzai claims hundreds of Taliban were living openly there, holding public meetings, mingling with the population and using police vehicles. When both men were eventually released, the insurgents said it was part of an exchange deal in which three militants were freed from prison. The senator denies this, but feels no animosity towards the men who took him hostage. For Mr Ahmadzai the experience has simply confirmed what he had suspected two years ago, when he first noticed the Taliban re-emerging. Now with his seven children in Kabul, he is afraid to return to Logar and doubtful that he will stand in the next parliamentary elections scheduled for 2010. "We represent the people, they chose us, and we can solve their problems. But when we talk to the president he doesn't listen. One Talib even came and said he voted for me, so I represent their side as well," he said. "If the situation continues like this, I don't want to stand again. There are two reasons: one is security, the other is that I can't work for my people. And the elections will not be fair because there is no one who can [safely] vote in the south and east." Mr Ahmadzai said he was angry with the government, not the insurgents. "I have a good from memory from those Taliban because from the beginning until the end they treated me like a guest," he said. csands@thenational.ae

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs: 2019 Haval H6

Price, base: Dh69,900

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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SPECS

Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR

Engine: 5.7-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 362hp

Torque: 530Nm

Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

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Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Abaya trends

The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

The Year Earth Changed

Directed by:Tom Beard

Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough

Stars: 4

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz