Loya Jirga adjourned after ruckus over unelected deputies

KABU (Pajhwok):  The Consultative Loya Jirga on peace was adjourned on Monday before the schedule time until tomorrow after participants objected over the announcement of deputy heads of the event without their election.

Under the Consultative Loya Jirga's agenda, four deputy heads of the gathering would be elected through elected committees which would work till 6:30pm today, but the Jirga’s chairman announced the deputies without holding a ballot, thus faced with the event members’ reaction.

Four deputies and as many secretaries of the jirga have to be elected.

Pajhwok Afghan News reporter said Habiba Sourabi, Abdul Rouf Ibrahimi, Abdul Rouf Inami and Fazal Hadi Muslimyar were introduced as deputies of the Jirga this afternoon.

Those protesting against the announcement inside the Jirga tent told Pajhwok that the deputies should have be announced through election.

As the session turned noisy, the Jirga’s chairman adjourned the Jirga until tomorrow in order to hold election for the deputies’ posts.

The Consultative Loya Jirga on Afghan Peace began in capital Kabul on Monday, with President Ashraf Ghani and thousands of public figures in attendance.

About 3,000 representatives of different groups of people from across the country, 30 percent of them women, are attending the event.

The aim of the Loya Jirga is to reach consensus on a negotiation mechanism, identifying the basic points, peace constraints and a possible agreement with the Taliban.

The four-day Loya Jirga offers the opportunity for comprehensive discussions on peace negotiations with the Taliban, who launched their annual spring offensive earlier in the month.

According to the agenda of the Loya Jirga, a copy of which is received by Pajhwok Afghan News, the huge gathering started with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran and singing of the national anthem.

pk/ma