Ghani urges ‘national mobilization’ against Taliban

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Monday urged ‘national mobilization’ against the Taliban and their supporters.

The president made the comments during an extraordinary meeting of Parliament today.

The parliament is on summer recess, but it was called into session at the request of President Ghani following worsening situation of the country and loss of more territory to the Taliban.

Talking to the meeting, Ghani said, “I am in your service today because I feel it is time to respond to your questions and concerns. You and our children who are in trenches fighting in defense of the country want your complete unity.”

Pointing to the ongoing current security situation of the country, he said that he did not want to say imaginary things and give false promises. However, he said that Afghan security forces had relatively attained their strength.

“I am a realistic human, I do not live in past, I feel the responsibility and I know now is the time for unity and solidarity … my focus is on the national unity,” he said.

About the risks linked with withdrawal of foreign forces, Ghani said that such risks had been controlled and there was need for people’s mobilization for reaching to a strength in the next six months.

He said that the government faced unprecedented ‘propaganda’ campaign from inside and outside the country and there were huge rumors about the fall of government in the media, ‘but none of them were true and there were only lack of preparation and some weakness that brought doubt and skepticism’.

Ghani said that a clear plan was developed for reaching strength in the next six months and its implementation had been started.

‘In this plan, all risks are anticipated and Afghan forces have found the ability to reach stability in the next six months and return to the considered situation,” he added.

“Afghanistan is faced with unprecedented aggression of terrorism, Taliban are not the Taliban of past 24 years, they have turned more violent and they not only not cut ties with international terrorists, but they even expanded them…” he said.

Ghani said that Afghanistan faced a clear aggression associated with ‘mischief’ and it was the responsibility of every Afghan to fight it.

He said that Afghan defense ministry would follow strategic goals in the next six months while the interior ministry would protect strategic cities and districts during the period.

Afghan intelligence agency would also mobilize people besides doing its own responsibility, Ghani added.

The president said that the international community, particularly the US, was supporting the government in implementing these plans.

However, he voiced on the Taliban to stop insurgency and take advantage of the current opportunity for peace in the country.

Mds/ma