Following Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, a number of Afghan politicians and presidential candidates boycotted upcoming Grand Consultative Jirga on Peace in Afghanistan, saying they will not attend the assembly as it does not bring any solution to the current problems.
Presidential Candidates for the 2019 Afghan elections Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Ahmad Wali Massoud and Rahmatullah Nabil joined Abdullah in lashing out the GCJ on Peace (national assembly), boycotting the huge gathering.
The candidates alleged the peace Jirga is politically motivated and it will not help to find a settlement to the ongoing conflict in the Afghanistan.
“Alongside other political parties and those groups inside the election ticket, our consultations led to the decision that we cannot attend the Jirga at this critical stage,” said Qader Shah, a spokesman for Atmar, as quoted by local media.
“So far they have spent nearly AFs360 million for this Jirga. It looks like a bribe to the people to come and gather so that the government can demonstrate its power,” said Massoud, head of Wefaq-e-Milli election ticket.
Meanwhile, Noor-ul-Haq Ulomi – another candidate – said he does not see positive outcome from the assembly, adding Jirga might bring Afghans from different walks under a shelter, but definitely does not guarantee the future of Afghanistan.
“I don’t believe the outcomes of the Jirga will be appropriate except division and disintegration in the society, but not unity and solidarity among entire people of Afghanistan to determine their future,” said Ulomi, as local media quoted.
The High Peace Council said the Jirga will be convened on due date of April 29.
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Hizb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has also been one of the key critics of the modality of selection of Jirga members. However, it has not officially announced its stance on the issue.
[Earlier: ‘Abdullah Lashes Out at Peace Jirga’]
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in a statement said he will not attend the Grand Consultative Jirga on Peace due on April 29, where some 2,500 delegates nationwide will attend the assembly – including women.
Head of the High Peace Council’s Secretariat Mohammad Umer Daudzai is playing leading role in organizing the committee for Peace Jirga (national assembly), in which women will sum up to 30 % of the representatives, officials said.
In a statement on Facebook page Sunday the Chief Executive said in a local language that he has not been consulted on the Jirga and that he does not see it “helpful to overcome the current challenges in the country”.
“We in the Stability and Partnership team have not been involved in any consultation (on the Jirga) neither at political parties and individual levels nor at the government level,” says the statement which has been issued on behalf of Stability and Partnership election ticket led by Abdullah, as quoted by local media.
“The Stability and Partnership team led by Abdullah Abdullah announces that members of the team will not attend the meeting named ‘Consultative Jirga on Peace’ and does not see it helpful for overcoming the current problems in Afghanistan,” the statement adds.
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