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Ghani emphasizes Afghan-Pakistan attempt to end feud
President Ashraf Ghani has said that Afghanistan and Pakistan are trying to end their feud and strengthen their ties.
Ghani said he was “cautiously optimistic” about improved relations with Pakistan, which he considers integral to peace efforts with the Taliban.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ve begun a process of fundamental transformation,” he told the Council on Foreign Relations in response to a question about Afghan-Pakistani ties.
President warned that the year 2015 will be a difficult year for the Afghan government.
Ghani has made rapprochement with Pakistan a key policy since being elected as Afghanistan’s second president since the US-led toppling of the Pakistan-backed Taliban regime in 2001.
While addressing an audience in New York on his maiden presidential visit to the United States, President Ghani said that stronger ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan can remove terrorist havens in both countries.
Ghani, who said both countries were working to end 13 years of hostilities, believes improved relations with Pakistan are key to denying support for Afghan Taliban insurgents.
“Without sanctuary, a long-term rebellion is impossible. When sanctuaries end, peace breaks out. That’s what happened in Central America and Latin America, that’s what has happened in Africa,” he said.
The Taliban say they will not negotiate while foreign troops remain on Afghan soil.
“Terrorists neither require passports nor recognize nationalities,” Afghan president Ashraf Ghani said. “I’m hopeful that we will have sufficient wisdom not to sink but to swim together.”
Afghan analysts praised President Ghani’s new steps in relations between the two countries and are said to consider President Ghani’s recent statements at US congress made relations stronger between Afghanistan-America.
Analysts believe that if Afghanistan does not stand by its commitments, the United States will also abandon Afghanistan forever.
By Hesamuddin Hesam
Mohammad Hassan Akhund, in his Eid message, has emphasized stronger support and assistance for returnees and victims of recent floods and earthquakes, saying the Islamic Emirate has worked to help affected families within its available capacity.
He said many of the challenges facing the Muslim world stem from division and self-interest, stressing that unity, cooperation, and solidarity must be strengthened at both individual and societal levels.
The prime minister noted that in recent months millions of migrants have returned to Afghanistan from neighboring countries, while others have been displaced due to natural disasters. He said the authorities have tried to provide assistance to these families to the extent possible.
Mohammad Hassan Akhund also instructed officials to visit families of martyrs, orphans, and people with disabilities during Eid and to listen to public concerns. He further directed security and defense forces to ensure heightened vigilance during the holiday period in order to maintain safety and allow citizens to celebrate Eid in peace.
Eid prayers were also held at the Sapidar Palace in Kabul with the participation of diplomatic representatives and senior officials, while across the country citizens gathered in mosques and open spaces to mark the occasion peacefully.
Residents in various provinces described Eid as a time of reconciliation and unity. A resident of Herat, Hamed, said Eid should be an opportunity to set aside grievances and strengthen bonds of friendship. Another resident, Sultan Ahmad Saber, said Eid is meant to remove divisions, embrace one another, and preserve purity of heart by forgetting past disputes.
In a separate message, former president Hamid Karzai called for the reopening of schools and universities for girls and the creation of job opportunities for women, stressing that Afghanistan’s progress depends on unity, education, and a shared sense of responsibility toward the country.
Turkmenistan and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have discussed regional cooperation and major infrastructure projects aimed at supporting Afghanistan’s economic recovery, according to the Turkmen government.
The discussions took place during a meeting between Pavel Yershov, the newly appointed head of UNAMA’s office in Herat, and Batyr Yyolov, Turkmenistan’s consul general in Herat, Trend news agency reported.
Both sides emphasized Turkmenistan’s role in promoting stability and economic growth in Afghanistan through regional energy and transport projects, including the TAPI gas pipeline and electricity transmission initiatives.
The meeting also focused on ongoing railway development and modernization projects aimed at improving connectivity and trade links between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, has said that the Islamic Emirate would not compromise on Islam or Islamic law with any country or group, but remains ready to engage with the international community within the framework of Sharia.
In his Eid al-Adha sermon at the Eidgah in Kandahar, Akhundzada said Afghans are prepared to endure economic hardships and external pressure, but “will not bow to infidels” or abandon their religious values. “The world should not expect us to compromise on the religion of Allah or give up our faith,” he said.
The Supreme Leader also stressed the importance of unity and preventing discord, saying solidarity among the people is essential for maintaining peace and preventing conflict in the country.
“I do not protect myself with the lives of the people; I protect the people with my own life,” he said. “I stood for unity, harmony and peace among the people so that war and discord would not return, and I remain committed to that.”
Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada also referred to the amnesty announced for former government officials and urged them to return to Afghanistan and live without fear. He said the country belongs to all Afghans and that everyone has the right to live in their homeland.
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