Govt asked to probe targeted killings

KABUL (Pajhwok): Civil society activists, disabled persons and family members of war victims on Tuesday opposed the idea of an interim government and demanded investigations into terrorist attacks and targeted killings of journalists and activists.

Violence has surged in the country amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha since last three months.

The two sides have only reached agreement on procedural rules for future talks. The civil society activists, disabled persons and families of war victims held a meeting in Kabul and passed a resolution in which they demanded trial of those behind terrorist and targeted attacks. They stressed implementation of social justice and said peace without social justice was not acceptable to them.

They announced their support for the Afghan government’s negotiating team and said: “The Taliban are wasting time and have no interest in the peace process.” A part of the resolution reads: “We want to tell the international community and the UN that we demand investigations into targeted attacks and blacklisting of their perpetrators.”

Pari Gul Sarwari, a representative of martyrs’ families and disabled persons, demanded that the peace process should be accelerated. She said: “This conflict has martyred and disabled a large number of our people. The government should pay more attention to the families of martyrs. Privileges provided to the families of martyrs and disabled are inadequate and are not provided in time.” Ahmad, a disabled soldier, said he lost his leg two years back in a firefight and had to look after his seven-member family. He also demanded the government pay proper attention to the families of martyrs.