Listen to war victims in peace talks: Balkh activists

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A number of religious scholars, civil society representatives and women's rights activists on Saturday asked the warring parties to listen to the voices of war victims in the on-going peace talks in Qatar.

Holding a gathering in this capital city of northern Balkh province, the activists urged the United Nations to ensure that the Afghan peace process would succeed.

Religious scholar MaulviHamidullahEnayat told Pajhwok Afghan News that Islam recommends the Muslims to put aside their differences and come together.

He said the on-going war in Afghanistan had ruined people’s lives and the time had come to end this catastrophe.

Mulvi Enayat asked all parties to the conflict to understand that they could not achieve their goals through war, adding that it was the duty of each Afghan to work for overcoming differences, uniting the nation achieving peace and stability.

Suriyya Bawar, a university lecturer, said the intra-Afghan talks in Doha remained ambiguous, shattering people’s hopes for peace.

She added that both the sides should allow the voices of war victims to be heard in the on-going peace talks.

She called the on-going peace talks in Doha as unsatisfactory because the voices of war victims were not heard and some countries pursued their own interest.

AminaHaqparast, a women's rights activist said, the international community must play its part in making the Afghan peace process a success.

In addition to safeguarding the achievements of the Afghan people over the past two decades, he said the Afghans looked forward to a lasting and enduring peace.

Bk/ma