High Peace Council spokesman Ehsan Taheri said Sunday that the government has started working on selection of delegates for the upcoming Grand Consultative Jirga on peace, after a due date on March 17 was postponed.
President Ashraf Ghani has assigned Umer Daudzai, head of the HPC secretariat, to organize the Loye Jirga (national assembly). According to Daudzai, roughly 2,000 delegates will attend the assembly, in which women will compose at least 30 percent.
Loye Jiga, which is an initiation of the Afghan president, aspires to bring the government, politicians and representatives from different walks of life under a shelter where they would play vital role in on going peace process representing Afghanistan.
“The voice of the faithful people of Afghanistan will be raised at the Loya Jirga regarding the explanation of a mechanism for peace and reconciliation and also the establishment of a framework for peace talks,” Taheri said as local media quoted.
Critics, from other hands, suggest conduction of a referendum as an important asset to determine the statues of the Taliban in the society.
“It will be better if we go towards referendum with the help of the US and the international community so that we could determine the popularity of the Taliban among the people,” said Zakaria Zakaria, a former MP.
Faramarz Tamanna, a presidential candidate, expressing concern over a precise timeline for the implementation of the assembly said “agenda of the Jirga is vague”.
“The agenda of the Jirga is vague. Still we don’t know that what government really wants to bring at the Jirga to seek endorsement of the people,” said Tamanna.
Meanwhile, the office of Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, said the consultative Jirga aspires to bringing Afghans under a united platform, where all people would raise voice for betterment of the county.
“The national unity government is committed to providing the ground a wider environment for people where they will hold discussions and consultations so that we can attain recommendations and views of the public on this major national process,” said Omid Maisam, deputy spokesman to CEO.
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The Grand Consultative Jirga, which is a traditional assembly of Afghan delegates from all layers of the society, was initially scheduled on March 17. The government, however, announced April 29 as a new date.
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