Hekmatyar challenges current Parliament’s morality

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Hezb-i-Islami (HIA) supreme leader Gulbadin Hekmatyar on Monday challenged the morality of the incumbent Parliament which he said had become a centre of loyalties trading.

Hekmatyar, who addressed thousands of supporters in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, called on the Taliban to join the peace process and shun violence.

The mammoth gathering at the football stadium was attended by Governor Gulab Mangal and thousands of HIA supporters from Laghman, Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces.

Hekmatyar asked the government to take steps for conducting transparent elections and not allowing candidates to stuff ballot boxes.

“The nation wants an honorable parliament and they consider the current parliament a shame because it has turned into a buying and selling spot.”

The HIA leader asked his supporters to elect true and honest people in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Hekmatyar also assailed the national unity government, saying it had not come into power with public mandate but as a result of a deal mediated by former US foreign secretary John Kerry.

Hekmatyar thanked President Ashraf Ghani for striking the peace deal with his party the HAI and appreciated his peace offer to the Taliban.

Governor Gulab Mangal hailed the peace deal between the government and HIA and said it was a historic day that HIA Ameer appeared in Nangarhar.

He called on the Taliban to get maximum advantage of the peace offer extended by President Ashraf Ghani and join the reconciliation process unconditionally.

nh/ma