Hekmatyar Announces Support for Distribution of Electronic ID Cards

The Leader of Hezb-e Islami, Gulboddin Hekmatyar has announced support for the distribution of electronic ID cards and said those who oppose mentioning the word “Afghan” are servants.

Addressing a gathering of his supporters in Parwan province, Hekmatyar declared that he supports the decision of President Ashraf Ghani regarding the distribution of electronic ID cards.

“There are some circles who obliged from outside and do not have any place for the people. They do not want the nation and always lie. They have negative position against national issues and now oppose the distribution of electronic ID cards,” Hekmatyar asserted.

However, the longtime rival of the Hezb-e Islami, the Jamiat Islami party considered mentioning the word “Afghan” is an identity coup and criminal act.

“It is an illegal action because the Parliament did not approve it. We should not make division among people and it will create problems as we are heading the Parliamentary election,” Noor Rahman Akhlaqi, a leadership member of Jamiat party said.

This comes as the department of population registration has announced the opening of electronic ID cards distribution centers in the capital and other provinces.

“There is no obstacle ahead of the distribution process in terms of law. The process will be started up to the next week,” Rohullah Ahmad Zai, spokesman of the department added.

Afghanistan which has already been torn apart by wars and is already fighting tooth and nail to subdue terrorism, is nevertheless in recent years hit by a new crisis. This new crisis is stirred by electronic identity cards.

This issue has already been addressed in the constitution of Afghanistan which says that this country is an Islamic republic, which means the polity will remain a blend of Islamic theology and democracy–or the laws of the land will be a mixture of divine laws and man-made laws.

The constitution says all the citizens of Afghanistan whether living at home or abroad are Afghans, yet despite that there is a serious rift over the mention of “Islam” and “Afghan” in in the new electronic identity cards.