KABUL (SW): President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Gulbudin Hekmatyar, Chief of the Hezb-e-Islami party are likely to ink the recently reached peace deal at the Arg (Presidential Palace) on Thursday.
Atiqullah Safi, a member of the HI party told Salam Watandar that Hekmatyar would join the ceremony at Arg via a video link. Without disclosing the exact location, he claimed that the former prime minister is residing inside Afghanistan. He added that Hekmatyar can be seen in public once the government ensures his security and provides him with residence. He also termed removal of the HI’s and its members’ names from the sanctions list vital for it.
The HI delegation has recently met a number of European and American diplomats in a bid to remove restrictions imposed on them.
Meanwhile, Abdul Khabeer, deputy director at the High Peace Council (HPC) told Salam Watandar that hopes are high the two leaders would finally ink this key peace deal on Thursday. He confirmed that Hekmatyar would arrive in Kabul once the names of the HI leaders are removed from the black list.
The Afghan government signed the landmark peace deal with the Hezb-e-Islami on September 22 that now needs to be ratified by Ghani and Hekmatyar for ultimate implementation.
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