Monitoring Desk
KHOST: Stressing on free, transparent and on-time elections, head of Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) Engineer Gulbadin Hekmatyar has said no changes should be brought in the electoral commissions.
Hekmatyar paid a visit to Khost province as part of his routine tours to various parts of Afghanistan. The people of Khost paid warm welcome to Engineer Hekmatyar.
Addressing a gathering at Khost stadium, Hekmatyar said free and transparent polls should be held on the scheduled time.
He urged the Taliban to get ready for intra-Afghan peace process. The civilians were suffering most of the damage in the ongoing war, he observed.
Terming the incumbent parliament as a market of sale and purchase of lawmakers, Hekmatyar urged the government to adopt measures to ensure free and transparent elections in the future.
He urged people of the country to use their votes in favor of patriotic and honest candidates in the next polls.
Stressing on unity between the tribes, he asked them to put efforts to eradicate the misfortune of the country.
Some organizations were afraid of polls, he said. He, however, added that election was the only way to steer the country out of the current crisis.
There were various resources to get to power in the country, he said, adding that this situation should be brought to an end. No changes should be brought in the Independent Election Commission (IEC), he said, adding that it would pave way for interference in the polling process.
He stressed on the participation of Afghan people living outside Afghanistan in the electoral process of the country in the future.
Some foreign elements were trying to frustrate the peace agreement signed between the Hizb-e-Islami and Afghan government, he said. He, however, did not name any country.
He said that jihadi commander Jalaluddin Haqqani belonged to Zadran tribe, adding that he had fought against the United States. The United States wanted to take the revenge from his tribe, he added. Due to this reason, he said the people belonging to Zadran tribe had not been given their due share in the Afghan government.
He went on to say that the declaration of Baitul Muqadas as the capital of Israel by the United States was a historic blunder.
He said the infidel countries had always hatched crisis against the Muslim world. They have always fueled wars in the Muslim countries, he observed.
The new announcement of the United States would fuel wars, he said. The blunder would cause expansion of war, he added. He urged the Muslim countries to stay united.
He said the government of Iran supported the United States to capture Iraq. Tehran was not trying to occupy Syria, he added. The United States made the fresh announcement of declaring Baitul Muqadas as the capital of Israel when it came to know that Iraq has became weaker.
Baitul Muqadas was the sacred place for the Muslims of Philistine and entire world, he observed.
Engineer Gulbadin Hekmatyar pledged to establish a standard university in Khost. He said he wanted to lay the foundation stone of the university Sunday. He, however, added that he would take the step after completing his necessary works.
A small explosion occurred outside the stadium during the speech of Hekmatyar. It, however, did not cause any casualties. According to eyewitnesses, the explosives had been planted in the area.
