‘Loya Jirga to take peace process to its logical end’

KABUL participants have arrived in Kabul and the remaining will be reaching till tomorrow (Thursday), officials said on Wednesday.

The traditional assembly being convened to discuss and decide the fate of controversial 400 Taliban prisoners will begin on Friday.

According to officials, the government has released 4,600 Taliban prisoners according to the list provided by the Taliban leadership to the government while 317 other released inmates of the Taliban were not included in the list.

Mohammad Masoum Stanikzai, head of the government negotiating team with the Taliban and State Minister for Peace Abdul Salaam Rahimi said that consultations about peace were a core principle and necessary during current circumstances.

He linked the upcoming event with the Loya Jirga held two years back and said the the president then promised with people to consult them regarding peace related affairs.

“During the Loya Jirga, developments in the peace process and hurdlers would be shared with representatives of the people,” Stanikzai added.  

Referring to the release of 400 Taliban prisoners involved in serious crimes such as murder, kidnapping, financial corruption and some sentenced to death, Stankikzai said the order to release these prisoners was above the authority of the president and thus the people should decide regarding their fate.

He said these 400 Taliban were Afghan nationals and that there was no hidden agenda behind the convention of Loya Jirga.

Stanikzai said the Jirga was being organised in a hurry so that time for beginning of intra-Afghan talks was not wasted and to prevent further bloodshed. Efforts are on to ensure that the peace process is result oriented.

He said members of the negotiating team will be present in the Jirga to gather views of the participants

Stanikzai said members of the earlier Jirga had been invited to this Jirga and the former administrative panel will lead the administrative affairs of this Jirga as well.

Abdul Salaam Rahimi, who is the secretary of the Loya Jirga, said efforts were on to convene the Loya Jirga with minimum budget and ensure transparency.

He said all security and health measures had been taken and the event was being organised through national and international consensus.

Nh/ma