Flash floods kill three in Laghman

Abdul Moeed Hashmi
JALALBAD, Aug 13 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Three people have been killed while two others missing as a result of flash floods in Mehtarlam and Alingar district of the eastern Laghman province.
The floods also washed away scores of houses inflicting heavy financial losses on the residents. Provincial Governor Gulab Mangal said the flash floods were caused by heavy rains last night.
He said the water level in the river and streams suddenly rose causing havoc in the areas situated on the bank of the river. The most affect areas included some villages of the provincial capital Mehtarlam and the Roghano Kaltak, Hakim Abad and Mazari villages in Alingar.
He said a woman and two children had been killed while two children were still missing. He said 110 houses and two mosques had been washed away by the floods.
He said the provincial government had started delivery of emergency aid for the affected areas. Several areas, including Ghazni, Paktia, Maidan Wardak and some districts of Kabul were hit by floods causing human and material losses.
Minister to consult women intellectuals
Zarghona Salehi
KABUL, Aug 13 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Minister for Women Affairs Hasan Bano Ghazanfar has said she will try to run the ministry’s affairs in consultation with women intellectuals and scholars.
In her maiden press conference here on Sunday, the newly-appointed minister said she would travel to provinces and meet women in the provincial capitals to apprise herself of their problems and get their view point on a number of issues confronting women.
She assured of all-out efforts and use of all possible resources to get support of relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations. Hasan Bano Ghazanfar has replaced Masouda Jalal as Minister for Women Affairs.
Women from different walks of life have expressed diverse views about her speech at today’s news conference. Soraya Parlika, head of the Afghanistan Nationwide Women Association, is one of them.
She hailed the new minister’s views regarding her meeting with women intellectuals but said it was better to practically prove it. Ghazanfar is the only female member of the new 25-member cabinet. She was among the last five ministers approved by the parliament last week.