Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL: Former Afghan Mujaheddin leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Saturday called on the government to provide “safe zones”‘ to the Taliban in a bid to encourage them to join peace process.
Addressing a news conference at his party headquarters in Kabul, Hekmatyar said he has shared a comprehensive peace strategy draft with the government, which includes establishing ‘safe zones’ for the Taliban in different parts of the country.
“These proposals are also under consideration in the White House and Pentagon”, Hekmatyar said, adding the Afghan government is also deliberating upon his proposals.
A number of local politicians are criticizing Hekm-atyar for what they called floating the idea of “handing over” a number of provinces to the Taliban. Today, Hek-matyar rejected proposing su-ch a thing. He called on all political parties to come together and find a peaceful solution for the current crisis in the country.
“Once again, we call on all political parties and influential figures to come to find a peaceful solution for the current crisis, put aside the previous bad and bloody experiences and prevent from its repeat,” Hekmatyar said.
Meanwhile, he called for a timely parliamentary election and called on the people to elect “honest representatives” for them.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have reportedly rejected the idea of “safe zones”. Accor-ding to the local Azadi Radio, Zabihullah Mujahed, the Taliban spokesman, has ter-med the idea as an act of pr-actically “dividing Afghanis-tan.”
In June 2017, following his landmark return after some 20 years of self-imposed exile, Hekmatyar reaffirmed his support for the government in Kabul led by President Ashraf Ghani, with whom he inked the peace deal in September 2016.
The 69-year-old now resides next to the headquarters of his political party in the heart of Kabul, and has pledged on numerous occasions to mediate between the Taliban and the government.
Earlier this year, President Ghani outlined the government’s comprehensive peace strategy towards the Taliban urging the rebels to respect the Constitution, shun violence and terrorism, and in return get the recognition as a political party.
The Taliban have not formally responded to the call. (AA)
