KABUL (SW) – President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the Loya Jirga (grand consultative session) on peace here on Monday.
Addressing the session, he said Jirgas hold significant importance in Afghanistan in terms of domestic and foreign policy as well as the peace process. Underlining the importance of this grand consultative session, President Ghani urged the politicians to give more importance to greater national interests over petty politics.
He said latest ground realities have changed the face of the war. The President said young future leaders are present at the Loya Jirga and women comprise 30 per cent of this grand consultative session. Ghani said consultations play pivotal role in setting the correct course for future strategy. He urged the LJ participants to share their views at this platform.
The President said delegates from across the country have gathered under one roof, which is a major achievement by the government. He said this platform would define outlines for talks with the Taliban. Ghani said there would be no need for foreign aid after the peace deal.
He vowed the LJ has not been used as an electoral campaign. Ghani said this grand consultative session would define the future of Afghanistan for the next century, and not few months alone.
The President said peace remains a top priority of the National Unity Government, and it has been transformed into a national debate in the past two years. Ghani said a number of neighboring countries particularly Pakistan has been approached to help bring peace, and change the environment of confrontation into atmosphere of peace.
Ghani said the raging war in Afghanistan has no justifications in line with the Sharia. He urged religious scholars to highlight the significance of peace in line with the Sharia. He challenged the Taliban to present a single legitimate reasons for the continued war.
The President appointed former Jihadi figure, Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayaf, as head of the LJ. He said the Holy Qur’an has directed all Muslims to embrace peace. He urged the Taliban to welcome the calls in connection with peace by the LJ delegates.
An estimated 3200 peace delegates from across Afghanistan as well as representatives of Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan are attending this grand consultative session.
CEO Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar as well as a number of other politicians and 12 presidential candidates have boycotted the LJ.
The Taliban have also dubbed this Loya Jirga as ‘illegitimate’.
ENDS
