Special circle out to sow discord in Kandahar: Sherzai

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Former governor and tribal elder Gul Agha Sherzai on Sunday claimed a special circle was out to create discord among the tribes of southern Kandahar province and the recent insecurity was a result of it.

Addressing a gathering of hundreds of tribal elders, youth and women in Kandahar City, most of the speakers focused on the recent visit of the President to Kandahar, peace and the demand for rights of the people of Kandahar.

Sherzai, a former cabinet member, former governor and tribal elder, told the gathering that the central government was using a specific circle in Kandahar to sow discord among the tribes and deliberately create insecurity.

He referred to Kandahar Governor Hayatullah Hayat, who he alleged had done the same in several provinces during his tenure as governor.

But, he said, all leaders and tribes of Kandahar were united and they would not allow anyone to achieve their goal.

He said the special circle did not allow real leaders and influential people of Kandahar to meet the president during his visit and tell him the facts, but on the contrary he invited people to praise him.

Sherzai also called for peace, calling on the Taliban, the government and foreign forces to stop bloodshed in Kandahar.

“Peace at any cost is welcome,” he said.

He called on militants to come and make peace at the local level as well, as people of districts had been severely oppressed, forced to flee their homes in cold winter and were facing a dire situation.

Addressing the gathering, Hamidzai Lalai, a former member of parliament, said the president and the government should investigate military officials who left security posts in Arghandab, Zherai, Panjwai and Maiwand districts to the Taliban without a fight.

“This is a national betrayal, those who are the perpetrators of the recent insecurity in Kandahar should be identified and punished.”

He did not name anyone, but said instability in Kandahar was the handiwork of those who wanted an interim government, thus weakening the existing system. But he praised the Kandahar police chief for foiling the plot.

He asked the central government to give the people of Kandahar their rights and involve the southern zone leaders in the intra-Afghan peace talks.

Another speaker, Younis Fakoor, said the president should break the monopoly of certain circles to know the facts and manage the crisis.

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