Elections to empower the masses, says Karzai

KABUL leadership to join the peace process, President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday called next year’s presidential and provincial council elections as crucial to strengthening democracy and empowering the masses.

Karzai was speaking after offering Eidul Adha prayers in the mosque on celebrating the religious festival.

The president said: “Almighty Allah may turn this day into a day of happiness, prosperity and success for all the Muslims in the world.” He said Afghans were peace loving nation and had long been struggling to achieve peace and stability in their country.

Karzai once against called on the Taliban leadership to arrive at the negotiation table and stop tasking the Afghan youth with killings and causing destruction.

He said those in the Taliban ranks were sons of the soil, but they should not be the cause of people’s martyrdom and destruction of their houses.

The president said Afghanistan was taking solid steps toward its development and prosperity, adding the Afghans had the ability to achieve progress, strengthen economy and earn respect for the country in the comity of nations.

He said the April 5 presidential and provincial council elections would prove a step forward in furthering Afghanistan’s development and empowering the masses. He prayed for a successful conduct of the elections.

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