MPs welcome Daudzai’s Pakistan visit

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Wolesi Jirga members on Wednesday welcomed High Peace Council (HPC) Secretary Omar Daudzai’s recent visit to Pakistan and fresh comments of Maulana Fazl Rahman regarding the Afghan peace and reconciliation.

Pakistani politician and religious leader Fazal Rahman, the leader of Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam party, had recently urged the Afghan Taliban to hold direct talks with the Afghan government to end the 17-year-old conflict in the war-ravaged country.

Talking to the Voice of America, Rahman said talks between the Taliban and Afghan government were vital for domestic stability and smooth political environment.

HPC secretary Daudzai during his trip to Pakistan said the viewpoint of the Pakistani politicians had changed and now they supported direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

The Wolesi Jirga or lower house today debated Fazal Rahman’s remarks and Daudzai’s trip to Pakistan.

Lawmaker Karamuddin Razazada said Fazal Rahman’s recent remarks caused joy and optimism among the Afghans. “We hope the support of Pakistani politicians is practical and not limited to verbal commitment.” He added: “We want peace which is Afghan owned and Afghan controlled.”

Haji Mohammad Hashim Faryabi, a lawmaker from Faryab province, asked the HPC delegation to travel to other regional countries to ensure lasting peace and stability was achieved in the country.

Qazi Abdul Rahim, a lawmaker from Badghis province, said the Ulema after 17-year finally understood that the war in Afghanistan was illegitimate. Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi asked the HPC to accelerate its regional contracts by making more visits in order to facilitate the peace process.

He added peace in Afghanistan was in the interest of the region and the international community and only sincere efforts could succeed in this regard. (Pajhwok)