Hekmatyar suggests elections as solution to Afghan issue

KABUL: The reconciled leader of Hizb-e-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who also runs for president, at a gathering in Kabul on Friday said transparent and fair elections are the only way to end the current crisis in the country.

Hekmatyar said that another key solution to the Afghanistan problem is the withdrawal of foreign forces and respect to Afghanistan as an independent nation. He said there is no consensus on elections from all election campaign teams.

Hekmatyar stressed that four elections the presidential elections, district councils, provincial councils, and Ghazni parliamentary elections should be held on September 28.

Hekmatyar said that peace is the demand of every Afghan and that his party is ready to support the efforts for peace in the country. He called on his supporters to join hands to leave no excuse for foreign forces to remain in Afghanistan. Hekmatyar mentioned that all legitimate demands of the Taliban should be addressed in the peace process. “We call on the US not to impede the release of Hizb-e-Islami prisoners,” he said, referring to a peace deal with the Afghan government based on which all Hizb-e-Islami prisoners should have been released within two months after the agreement.

He said attacks against civilians should stop. Hekmatyar condemned in strongest words US President Donald Trump’s remarks on Afghanistan who said he could wipe Afghanistan off the Earth if he wanted to; “If you (US President Donald Trump) want to test your power, test it on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, not on innocent Afghans,” he said. Afghanistan is a fully occupied country, Hekmatyar said, adding that the Afghan government is not independent in decision making on major issues, including elections and peace.