Hekmatyar meets Siraj, discusses Afghan political situation

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Sirajul Haq and Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan leader Engr Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have stressed that Afghanistan needs a true representative government of Afghan people to achieve peace and political stability in the war-torn country.

They were addressing the media at a reception Sirajul Haq hosted in honour of Hekmatyar here at Mansoorah on Saturday, after holding a meeting to discuss prospects of restoring lasting peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sirajul Haq demanded that the US and other world powers should announce a Marshall Plan like aid-package to meet the challenge of reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Hekmatyar, who also served as prime minister of Afghanistan, visited the JI headquarters in Lahore along with a delegation to discuss the emerging political situation in his country and other matters of mutual interests.

The JI leadership backed the efforts of the Hizb-e-Islami and Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan for the establishment of peace in the country and expressed satisfaction that both sides (Hizb, Taliban) were on a same page regarding the future of Afghanistan. Islam and Afghanistan were indispensible for each other, agreed the JI and Hizb.

Hikmatyar announced that delegations of Hizb-e-Islami would participate in Moscow conference on Afghanistan and also in the peace talks which are being hosted by Turkey next month.

Around 95 percent Nato forces left the Afghanistan and the remaining five percent were ready to leave, he said, adding the US forces should also leave the country as soon as possible to establish peace in the area.

He appreciated the efforts of the JI and people of Pakistan for the liberation of Afghan soil from foreign forces. He said people of Afghanistan wrote the history of resistance through their blood whenever any power attacked on their soil. The people of Afghanistan with limited resources defeated the three superpowers, he said, adding it happened only because they had the power of faith. He said Muslim Ummah was facing decline due to sectarian divide and conspiracies of the elements which were part of the Muslim world but working on western agenda. He said Muslim youth was the particular target of western media. He said Ummah could only achieve their past glory if it started following Quran and Sunnah and shun their mutual differences.

Sirajul Haq paid tribute to the determination and courage of the Afghan leadership and people for making a decades’ long struggle to vacate their land from foreign forces. He said the US forces must leave the Afghan soil, providing opportunity to the people of the country to decide for their future. He asked India not to hatch conspiracies to destabilise the region instead pay attention to address the issues of poverty and hunger of millions of Indians. He said he had full faith that the sun of freedom would soon rise on Kashmir and Palestine and peace and stability would establish in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Sirajul Haq, JI Secretary General Ameerul Azim and others received the Afghan delegation at Mansoora. Hekmatyar thanked the JI leaders and workers for giving warm welcome to them.