Khalili stresses national unity, invites rebels for dialogue

KABUL for a political dialogue, on Friday urged the Afghans to forge unity in their ranks to preserve what the nation had achieved over the past one decade.

Addressing participants of a gathering marking the 17^th death anniversary of Abdul Ali Mazari, the former Hazb-i-Wahdat Islami chief, who was assassinated by Taliban in Ghazni on March 12, 1995, Karimi said Mazari sacrificed his life while struggling for unity among the Afghans.

“His followers did not stop following in his footsteps even in very hard times,” the leader of Hazara minority told the gathering at the Dasht Barchi area. “National unity is very important and it is the time to work on it,” Khalili added.

He said Afghanistan needed peace and the peace process must reach a solution which guarantees preservation of the achievements so far made by the government over the past one decade.

He also readout a message from President Hamid Karzai in the meeting, saying the president has expressed the hope that the new generation would follow in the footsteps of Mazari to work for unity of the nation.

Mas/ma