TEN years ago, a conference in the German city of Bonn agreed on a roadmap the Bonn Agreement for the creation of a post-Taliban administration in Afghanistan. Taliban were excluded from participation and subsequent Afghan governments were strongly dominated by Taliban's former foes. Ten years later, Taliban were once again absent at this week's second Bonn conference, which was boycotted by Pakistan in protest against an American air strike inside Pakistan that killed twenty-four Pakistani soldiers. All the main speakers emphasised the need for peacemaking with the Taliban.

The long Afghan conflict has resulted in an extensive destruction of Afghanistan‟s state justice institutions that existed prior to the former USSR invasion of the country in December 1979. The destruction has not only included extensive damage to buildings, office furniture, official records, legal resources, and essential office equipment, but it has also included the death, imprisonment and migration of hundreds of professional justice officials, including qualified judges, prosecutors, police officers, and prison wardens.1 Following the collapse of the Taliban regime, the Bonn Agreement of December 2001 authorized formation of the Afghanistan Judicial Commission.

In the meantime, he is continuing to explore ways to advance peace by laying the foundations for an effective justice system through a hybrid' model which links state and non-state institutions.

Afghanistan located in South Central Asian region has acquired an interesting venue for demographic studies. Thirty years of wars and instability coupled with an ongoing war on terror by a coalition of around forty countries in Afghanistan have created an atmosphere of uneven, uncertain and unplanned haphazard development in the country's population affecting the population pyramid quantitatively. On the other hand, the quality of the population has also been affected by a multiplicity of factors including social, political, economic and even military. Each one of the areas above influences the country's demography. A thorough study of the demographic changes would therefore require a discussion of all of the above. An analytical study of the population pyramid and the changing picture of demographic statistics would reveal a wealth of information on the situations in a country still in the grip of war. For example: Afghanistan, declared an independent country is practically under indirect occupation of forces that fight terror on its territory. The local administration is limited in its decisions regarding security, and balanced development.

It is of paramount importance to know that democratic political institutions had existed in the country to shape political affairs prior to president Dauod took over in 1973 in a coup d'etat; constitutional monarchy was abolished and Daoud announced himself as president of the Afghan Republic. The coup d'etat since then has developed to be a major and decisive component in the Afghan political culture. During the Russians' invasion, several Soviet

In Afghanistan, the warlords are fighting each other again, as they have for decades. Their rivalries threaten the peace our soldiers won. Their violence could cost the lives of Americans now guarding President Hamid Karzai.

I am having the experience of my life here in Kabul. Landing in Kabul Valley, in the middle of the beautiful Hindu Kush Mountains was a surreal feeling. It still hasn't hit me that I am in Afghanistan, a place that existed only in my dreams. I thought I would feel homesick but the moment I landed in Kabul Airport I felt the majestic mountains embrace me like a long lost mother and the battered but resilient ground support me like a brave! father.

Afghanistan's economy being ravaged almost completely, its reconstruction has to be started ipso facto from scratch or 'Tabula raza'. The pattern of reconstruction chosen will determine the direction of the consequent political, social, and economic character of the Afghan society. Every precautionary measures must be taken to adduce this economy to the path of highest possible rate of growth with its benefit distributed equitably among all strata of the Afghan community, securing for the country as a whole a long lasting peace and stability.