KABUL (Tolo News): Ata Mohammad Noor, who was picked as head of the deviated faction of Jamiat-e-Islami party, said he is ready to step down and call an early party congress if Salahuddin Rabbani and his deputy Ahmad Zia Massoud agree to attend the meeting under his leadership.
Noor said that internal rifts within Jamiat-e-Islami had started ahead of the 2014 presidential polls. “If they are ready and join us to remain in a united front, I am ready to call the congress before its due time and step down,” Noor said. According to Noor, internal disagreements within Jamiat-e-Islami erupted before the presidential elections in 2014 after Salahuddin Rabbani and his deputy tried to bring Jamiat in opposition to the government.
“The main story was to reject the legitimacy of the government and there should be no participation in the government, the high council for national reconciliation should be rejected and negotiations should be rejected so we can remain in opposite front to the government,” Noor added. But Ahmad Zia Massoud, the deputy head of Jamiat-e-Islami party led by Salahuddin Rabbani, has made a similar demand to Noor, saying the party is expected to organize the congress meeting after the Nawroz festival that falls on Sunday 21 March, adding that Noor can participate if he wants to.
“There are approximately 100 political parties in Afghanistan, and we think that one of them is Ustad Ata. They can go to Mazar and work there because we have a lot of local parties like this in Afghanistan,” Massoud said. “The representatives that are expected to come there reflect the interest of the entire people. They come from villages, districts and provinces. Ustad Ata can also participate in the congress if he is willing,” added Massoud.
The meeting organized by Ata Mohammad Noor was disrupted by a gunfight outside the venue where it was held. But despite that, voting was held, and Noor secured 65 out of 75 votes. However, another faction of Jamiat-e-Islami which is led by Salahuddin Rabbani boycotted the meeting.
