MPs suggest 5 names for high leadership council

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Following hours of heated debate, lawmakers in Afghanistan’s parliament decided to send at least five names from the legislative body to the government as members of the High Leadership Council on peace.

Meanwhile, Abbas Ibrahimzada, the second deputy of parliament’s speaker, described the High Leadership Council on peace as a symbolic body, saying main decisions about peace are taken by other people.

“Everything has been done regarding the peace process; the nomination of these five people is just a show,” said Ibrahimzada.

Some other lawmakers meanwhile called on the Afghan government to ensure the implementation of the decisions of the High Leadership Council on peace.

“I received a call from the president today and he asked me about the list,” said Mir RahmanRahmani, speaker of the parliament.

Fatima Aziz, Farida Hamidi, Abdul RaufIbrahimi, Mohammad NazeerHanafi and GhulamFarooqNazari were the five nominees who will represent the parliament in the High Leadership Council on peace.

“I hope that these councils and other delegations are not symbolic,” said AminaAfzali, a member of the Afghan senate.

In April 2019, the Afghan government announced the establishment of the Reconciliation Leadership Council on peace, which was aimed at facilitating talks between the government and the Taliban. But the council never proved strong enough to engage in talks with the Taliban due to differences between the politicians about its structure.(TOLOnews)