Political agreement a failed experience: HIA

KABUL (HIA) leader Gulbadin Hekmatyar on Tuesday termed the political agreement between President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah as repletion of the failed experience of National Unity Government (NUG).

The presidential elections were conducted on September 2019 and the Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced President Ashraf Ghani as winner in the final result but his main rival Dr. Abdullah Abdullah did not accept the IEC result and declared himself as president.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and some jihadi leaders in Afghanistan tried to resolve the rift between Ghani and Dr. Abdullah, which took eight months.

But on Sunday afternoon, following months of political wrangling, President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal.

In line with the agreement, Abdullah will lead the High Council of National Reconciliation. The council will have executive authority.

A copy of the agreement received by Pajhwok Afghan News, reads the high council would be formed of political leaders, national figures and the president would give consultation in important issues.

According to the agreement, Dr. Abdullah will lead NRHC in Sapidar Palace and the council will have five deputies – two from Stability and Partnership team and the rest from President Ashraf Ghani camp.

Based on the agreement, the NRHC chief will lead all negotiations of the national reconciliation process, national peace process and has the authority to appoint the staff for the State Ministry of Peace.

However, Gulbaddin Hekmatyar in a statement on Tuesday said he was a candidate in the last presidential election as well.

“Once again a coalition government took oath, it was a failed experience. I wish the decision had come from the Afghans and wish it had occurred before the holding of two separate oath-taking ceremonies.”

The statement said such agreement would not bring the ongoing crisis to an end and the pact would not result into a united government until national consensus was built and the nation supported the peace process.

It added both President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah should declare the last shameful and fraudulent elections as invalid and should call new poll and promise nationwide participation in the election which should be held in a transparent manner so its result was accepted.

The statement said no country in the world used to divide power between two rival teams after election. It added such agreement could pave the ground for division of the country.

The Afghans have been looking for a sustainable and lasting peace but it needed a strong and independent government system, the HIA said.

The statement said, “We also call on the incumbents not to create obstacles for creation of such axis, let see the creation of a strong and credible opposition based constitution, instead of opposing the coalition government and its domestic foreign misguided policies, as everyone has chosen a different way for himself.”

According to the HIA, Afghanistan currently needs a political conscious and political consensus should involve all influential political parties

Pk/ma