April 29 cargo plane crash ruled an accident

A tragic accident

Investigators from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority determined Monday that quickly shifting cargo contributed to the crash of a civilian cargo plane on April 29 (NYT, Post).  The Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, which killed all seven people on board, but the joint investigation found that the plane’s cargo of heavy military vehicles shifted suddenly, causing the center of gravity of the plane to change and preventing it from reaching its necessary altitude.  The investigation is ongoing, though the crash has been ruled an accident.

Factoring in the deaths from yesterday’s twin blasts in Paktia and Laghman provinces, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said that 125 civilians have died and 274 have been injured in conflict-related violence over the past two weeks (NYT).  These numbers represent a 24 percent increase from last year and, according to the agency, insurgents were responsible for 84 percent of the deaths.  In a statement, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that killing civilians, especially children, is an "unforgivable crime" and that the perpetrators would be "held accountable on the Day of Judgment" (Pajhwok).

The civilian death toll rose on Tuesday morning when a family car hit a roadside bomb in Farah province (Pajhwok). A father and three of his children were killed while his wife was rushed to hospital in critical condition.  No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

According to the latest Department of Defense report, 2,213 American service members have died as part of the Afghan war and related operations (NYT). 

Election paperwork

In preparation for Wednesday’s vote in parliament to elect the new prime minister, Nawaz Sharif formally submitted his nomination papers for the post to the National Assembly on Tuesday (Dawn, ET).   Nomination papers for Javed Hashmi from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and Pakistan People’s Party candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim were also accepted.  The recently sworn-in assembly members will vote for the future prime minister Tuesday around noon and the new premier will be sworn in around 5 pm Tuesday night. 

Farid Khan, a newly elected member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, was gunned down Monday when unidentified armed men opened fire on his vehicle (ET).  His driver, who sustained injuries in the attack, died at the hospital later that night.  Khan, who was elected as an independent candidate but then joined Imran Khan’s PTI party, had hoped to restore peace to the restive area.  He was buried Tuesday (Dawn). 

Everyday I’m hustlin’

The streets of Kabul are full of children who peddle everything from fruits to prayers but the T-junction outside the gates of the International Security Assistance Force complex is the most lucrative (NYT).  The elite group of young hustlers who sell their wares here have steady access to Westerners, and their money, though they say not everyone spends alike.  The children know their income stream will dry up as coalition troops begin to depart in 2014 but for now, they’ll sell scarves, hats, maps, and books to any passersby. 

— Jennifer Rowland and Bailey Cahall