​Afghanistan views of the government in Afghan and the Taliban in Doha.

President Ghani known for having a theory for every reason and season is seemingly influenced by his closest advisers on peace issue.  The election and its results has profoundly affected Ghani’s image among general public. The three people assigned to carry the election campaign, except one, had no connection with people whatsoever. A cartoonist is the national security adviser and a womanizer is the political adviser. There were thousands of tribal who wanted to hear Ghani during the election campaign and only few heard him. 25 percent of Ghani’s votes came from three eastern provinces without much of campaign.  The rest of the 75 percentage to his entire team came from 31 provinces. Abysmally low for the money the team spent.  The election result dispute is not rootless. Worst is to come if Taliban continue to dies-engagement with the Afghan government while the US having signed a troop withdrawal agreement with them.  Taliban feel victorious and calls the Kabul government a “puppet regime”.

President Ghani thinks he has won the elections and he entitled to be one of the sides in peace talks. Right as elected president, he may have the right, but it is not an individual issue but national quest, therefore peace agenda for a durable peace must emerge out of consultation and consensus.  The government has the convening power to bring people and political groups and consult them on peace and develop a national narrative for peace.  As a result it will increase the legitimacy of the government as a lead and will be able to enter into negotiation with Taliban from a position of strength.  Abdullah and Karzia to a large extent want to agree to all the pre-talks conditions of Taliban and in silence agree to their definition of the Kabul government as “Puppet”.

 President Ghani needs to open his eyes and break the small bubble his advisers have built and trapped him in. There is a life beyond the walls of Arg and there are actors who can influence the result of peace talks.  The president must address the election issue through accommodation of some actors especially people like Abdul Rashid Dostum can tilt the balance to the side he moves. He has small percentage but it is coherent and loyal force.  President Ghani and Inc. must elevate   Abdullah, Atmar, Sayaf, Karzai to play role peace process. It may make some of them rethink their positions and play a more splendid role in peace making and keep the sanctity of a unitary state.

Taliban continue to have scripts to parrot and repeat monotonously in peace talks.  To Taliban the dictates of their masters is more important than the life of thousands of Afghan people they have so far killed or peace.  Many senior Taliban have established businesses and enjoy the flow of money. They are mercenaries who fight for money and their masters and not for any grand philosophy. This is the worst enemy one can wish for.

View expressed in this article are of the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pajhwok’s editorial policy

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