2nd VP Danish critiizes HCNR’s plan for Turkey conference

Afghanistan’s Second Vice President Muhammad Sarwar Danish has criticized the High Council for National Reconciliation’s (HCNR) peace proposal for the Istanbul conference stating the plan proposes the sharing of power between two tribes.

According to Danish the plan highlights demands of a party that wants peace, a transitional government and a political system that includes a prime minister. He also said the plan was insulting to President Ashraf Ghani.

“The plan has highlighted differences in a republican front instead of supporting the consensus. Therefore, it cannot be presented at the Istanbul meeting or at any other meeting,” said Danish.

“They want the system for a specific tribe. Other tribes have been broken into third and fourth categories,” said Mohammad Hadayat, Danish’s media adviser.

Younus Qanooni, head of the HCNR’s committee for preparation and unification of peace plans, defended the plan.

“Danish’s speech is an insult to other parties that proposed the plan,” said Qanooni.

The HCNR’s plan has two parts:

1 – President Ghani’s plan that emphasized early elections and the preservation of the leadership of the current system and institutions.

2 – Establishing a system that would include a president and a prime minister and for a three-year transitional government to be established.

“It was not personal ideas. It was drawn up from 36 plans,” said Atta Mohammad Noor, a member of the HCNR.

Based on the proposed plan, a transitional government would have executive bodies, judicial bodies, a national assembly, an Islamic assembly, a high state council and a commission to amend the constitution.

The HCNR is however still expected to finalize the plan before presenting it to the Turkey conference.