KABUL - The National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday discussed preparations for the launch of a voter registration process for the next presidential election.
Chaired by President Hamid Karzai, the NSC meeting was also attended by Independent Election Commission (IEC) head Fazl Ahmad Manawi and members of the panel, a statement from Karzai's office said.

Manawi briefed participants of the meeting on the commission's readiness for the registration campaign. The meeting agreed with IEC's plan on launching the process and provision of required facilities in this regard.
Chief of Army Staff Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi, who also attended the meeting, presented a report on cross-border missile strikes from Pakistan into eastern Afghanistan.

The report said rockets and artillery shells continued to be fired from across the Durand Line into civilian houses on the Afghan side, displacing hundreds of families and resulting in life and material losses.
Over the past week, more than 400 rockets were fired into the Dangam district of eastern Kunar province, killing four people, including a woman.

The NSC directed the Ministry of Finance to prevent imports of cigarettes, saying that low taxes had led to increased imports. The ministry was asked to increase taxes on the import of cigarettes.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister BismillahMohammadi and National Directorate of Security ('NDS) head presented reports about their meetings with Tajikistan President EmomaliRakhmonov.

They said their negotiations with Tajik officials had been focused on insecurity in some areas of northern Badakhshan province, which borders Tajikistan.
The NSC stressed the need for increased security in areas near the Tajikistan border, directing security forces to spare no efforts in eliminating the armed groups and drug traffickers active in the area. (Pajhwok)