Ghani wants women’s ‘active’ role in peace Jirga

KABUL (TOLO News): President Ashraf Ghani visited the Loya Jirga hall in Kabul on Tuesday to monitor the preparations for the Grand Consultative Jirga on Peace where he said women should have a “strong” role in the gathering – which is one of the biggest events on peace in the country’s history a senior official put it last week.

Almost 3,000 delegates from around the country will attend the Jirga, which is a grand assembly of Afghans on discussing a “unified pathway” towards peace.

“Afghan women will have a solid role in the Loya Jirga; therefore, the number of women delegates should not be less than 30 percent,” Ghani reiterated.

Ghani said delegates from around the country will freely share their ideas and suggestions on peace during the Jirga and that there will be no “censorship”.

He said that national, regional, international and Islamic conditions have been provided for peace and hurdles on the way of peace have been addressed.

Ghani said the delegates from around the country are expected to determine a framework for peace talks with the Taliban.

“One of the advantages of Loya Jirga is that no one can censor it and people’s representatives can freely express their opinions, suggestions and consultations. It belongs to the Loya Jirga and delegates that how they will draft the way forward towards peace,” said Ghani.

He added peace was a dream in the past but said that it has changed into a serious discussion and every Afghan talks about it over the past two years.

President Ghani concluded that the Jirga’s organizing committee will take required measures for better organization of the event.

The peace Jirga is scheduled for April 29.