Reform or Power

The newly created Shur-e Herasat (council for protection) aims to be a pressure group on the Ghani government.

Most of the members of the council are former jihadists. Among them are Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayaf (leader of the Etehad Islami or Islamic Unity);

The newly created Shur-e Herasat (council for protection) aims to be a pressure group on the Ghani government.

Most of the members of the council are former jihadists. Among them are Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayaf (leader of the Etehad Islami or Islamic Unity); Mohammad Yunus Qanoni of Afghanistan e Naween (new Afghanistan); former first vice president to president Hamid Karzai, Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal and ex-minister of economy, Bismillah Mohammad.

There is a strong pro-Karzai tilt among the leading members of the council. They would like President Ashraf Ghani to keep his campaign promises regarding holding parliamentary polls and calling a loya jirga on constitutional reforms.

The council has declared it has no interest in being a parliamentary opposition. It wants to see reforms being implemented, not to topple the Ghani government.

“The government should hold the loya jirga or people will start to look for alternative (leaders in power),” said Sayaf. He did not elaborate.

But nothing has stilled the rumours that the previous government was behind the council or that it was an attempt to topple Ghani.

Some political experts have questioned the council’s agenda. Saleem Azad, a journalist and analyst says, “Shur-e Herasat has come into existence without a clear programme. …If there are individuals who want to save Afghanistan and to put an end to crisis, there are many avenues in organised politics and social programmes.” According to Azad, no one can be better than Ghani in putting in words how to come out of crisis. His book on how to save a failed government was a sought after textbook at university. “The problem with Ghani is that he lacks managerial and political capacity. No one would be able to put his ideas in practice. The government is bankrupt. No one can save it either short-term or long term,” says Azad.

Another viewpoint is that the Shur-e Herasat should act in the interest of the country, as a reformist opposition to the government. Political analyst Ali Qaderi believes, “We are not in need of establishing a council for stability and protection. We must stop pressuring the government to meet our personal interests. We need an opposition that is not based on personal requests and wishes. Instead it should follow the interests of the public.” For instance, the holding of a loya jirga should be viewed as a rights request. There is no doubt that a loya jirga for constitutional reforms should be held.  The post of chief executive should be specified in the changed Constitution. The post as it was created in the national unity government was not according to the Constitution at all.

Constitutional reform

It was agreed that the decision on creation of a post of prime minister through the process of constitutional amendment should be taken in a loya jirga. Parliamentary elections should be announced in the new year. But there are doubts whether Ghani and Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah will keep their promises and continue to share power. Keeping Pakistan out of the peace process because of its support for the Taleban is another goal of the Shur-e Herasat. Ali Qaderi admits this position is creating tension. The council issued a declaration at the same time that Ghani was in Islamabad delivering a speech at the Heart of Asia meeting. Afghanistan should claim a third of Pakistan.

No doubt the declaration was controversial. Former interior minister and council member Omar Dawoodzai has declared Pakistan would pay for bloodshed in Afghanistan. “These words cannot be more than demolishing the country,” he said.