Karzai Calls on Ghani to Postpone Peace Jirga

Former President Hamid Karzai opposes with the convening of the upcoming Consultative Loya Jirga on Peace, saying it is better to postpone the Jirga until a peace agreement with the Taliban insurgent group.

Karzai said in a statement released on Saturday that he has specific reasons why this Jirga will not help Afghanistan at the current situation to reach a “national consensus”.

He reasons that most of the politicians including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have boycotted the Consultative Jirga because they have concerns regarding the objective and timeline of the Jirga.

He further says the Taliban has also rejected the Jirga and it will not help the peace and reconciliation process.

Referring to the recent talks between Afghan politicians and Taliban in Moscow, direct talks between the U.S. and Taliban representatives in Doha, and the latest trilateral meetings between U.S., Russia and China representatives in Washington and Moscow, he emphasizes that there is major progress in the Afghan peace process.

“Based on these realities, I suggest H.E. President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani postpone the convening of this Jirga in order to avoid any possible negative impacts on the ongoing peace efforts,” Karzai concludes the statement thanking Loya Jirga participants for coming to Kabul to attend the Jirga.

The Consultative Peace Jirga is due to be organized on April 29 in the capital Kabul where around 3,000 people from all walks of society will come together to discuss peace and reconciliation with the Taliban insurgent group.

By: Hesamuddin Hesam