Gilani hopes inclusive govt will be formed until next year

KABUL (Pajhwok): Head of the Afghanistan National Solidarity Movement (ANSM) — Nuhzat Hambastagi Melli Afghanistan — has urged the Taliban authorities to ensure the honor and security of the people of Afghanistan and ensure implementation of general amnesty.

During an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News ANSM Head Syed IshaqGilani said he hoped an inclusive government will be formed until next year.

He blamed former President Ashraf Ghani’s unfixable stance, mistakes committed by Zalmay Khalilzad and lack of authority with the negotiating team for the failure of Doha talks between the Taliban and the previous Afghan government.

He said had Ghani been sincere in talks the situation of Afghanistan would have been different today.

He hoped an exclusive government would be established soon in the country so that the international community will not blame Afghanistan and for this purpose a high consultative council should be convened.

Ghani escape a turning point

Gilani said Afghanistan would have been in far better situation had Ghani been sincere in talks, adding that Ghani escape from the country changed everything and it was a turning point.

“Ghani was trying to pro-long Doha talks process so that his government last for more time.”

He said had Doha talks not failed a transition government would have been formed and power would have been transferred peacefully. This could ensure that security and other institutions remained intact, Afghanistan reserves would have been free and people would not have faced economic hardships.

He said Ashraf Ghani’s escape messed up everything.

Why peace talks failed

When asked why peace talks faced with failure, he responded: “Doha talks had three main problems. First the delegation was taking all directions from Ghani and the delegation had no authority to take decision.”

He also blamed Zalmay Khalilzad, former US special representative for Afghanistan, for committing mistakes in Afghan peace process and said he did not share the peace process with the people of Afghanistan and the reason why the people of Afghanistan did not support this process was because they were kept unaware.

“Khalilzad tried to conduct the power transfer process in a way in which his role becomes more vital and he could express himself as a boss,” he said.

Gilani also blamed Ghani for being unfixable in peace process at a time when most of the foreign troops had left Afghanistan and Afghan forces were conducting operations.

What was politicians’ role when peace process failed?

In response to this question, Gilani said that despite they were aware of the situation in Afghanistan, they should have put pressure on Ashraf Ghani and forced him to transfer power.

Gilani termed the former High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) led by Dr. Abdullah Abdullah as incompetent and strongly criticized the selection of Masoom Stanekzai as chairman of the peace negotiating team of the former Afghan government. He said Stanekzai did not deserve to lead the government’s negotiating team in Doha.

He said that the head of the Afghan peace negotiating team should have been a neutral person and aware of all religious and national issues.

Suggestions for getting out of current situation

Gilani offered some suggestions for improving the situation in the country and said that he was ready to advise the Islamic Emirate on the matter.

Without providing details on the current situation in the country, Gilani said, “Six months are not enough time to judge a government, but they attended various conferences and tried to convince the world to recognize them.”

“Some mistakes have been made by low level security forces of the Islamic Emirate, who have harassed people, we hope this will be stopped,” he said.

He called on the “Government of the Islamic Emirate” to protect the dignity of the Afghan people, make diplomatic relations with the international community, accept their legitimate demands, and implement the general amnesty it had previously declared.

Governance without the international community is difficult and Afghanistan has to deal with the international community because the country needs foreign aid, he added.

“The Islamic Emirate should align itself with the international community, because it has no any alternatives, but if the Islamic Emirate does not align with international community, the world will make an alternative for it, such as they made one for Mujahidin in Bonn Conference,” he said.

He asked the current government to accept the international community’s demand for inclusive government, including intellectuals in the cabinet, observing women’s rights and equality to be recognized.

He said that the government should keep balance in relations with all its neighbors and keep diplomatic relations with the world.

About women’s inclusion in the cabinet, he said, “Women should have their part in all sections, the same as when women were present in the cabinet and parliament…”

Preserving tri-color flag of Afghanistan is another suggestion of Gilani.

“Afghanistan’s colorful flag is a national flag and will never change, and the Islamic Emirate should keep the colorful national flag alongside their white flag,” he said.

He termed educated youths’ flight from the country during political changes as worrisome and called them national assets. He asked the Islamic Emirate to call back the young generation to return to their country.

Nh/mds/ma

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