KABUL (SW) – The Wolesi Jirga (lower house) members on Monday urged the Taliban to make their demands clear for the sake of peace in the country.
In today’s session, the MPs welcome the announcement of the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, saying one of the Taliban’s demands for peace with the government has been the immediate withdrawal of US troops from the country.
Members of the house added that the Taliban should now seize this opportunity and join the people and government of Afghanistan for talks. Mir Rahman Rahmani, speaker of the house, said the Istanbul conference has raised many hopes for an end to the war in Afghanistan and that a regional consensus has created a lot of optimism. Rahmani called on the Taliban to attend the Istanbul conference.
“The Turkish conference has raised many hopes for an end to the war and a peaceful solution to the crisis,” said Mir Rahman Rahmani. “We urge the Taliban to attend this meeting, make their demands and seize this opportunity for the benefit of the Afghan people.”
Meanwhile, Nahid Farid, a female member of the house, says that if the Taliban want people to believe that they have changed, they must add human rights and women’s rights in their plans and allow girls’ schools in the areas under their control.
Abdul Rauf Shpon, another member of the house, said the Taliban should declare a permanent ceasefire in honor of the holy month of Ramadan and present their demands as a peace plan. According to him, if the Taliban’s demands are reasonable, Afghan citizens will lobby to achieve them.
This comes as the Taliban have called on the US to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in line with the Doha Agreement by May.
The Istanbul conference for peace in Afghanistan is scheduled to take place later this month, but the Taliban have previously said they will not attend any meetings until foreign troops leave Afghanistan.
ENDS
