On Monday, a number of electoral tickets for the upcoming presidential election boycotted the Consultative Loya Jirga on Peace which is due to be held in Kabul on April 29.
Electoral tickets led by presidential candidates Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Rahmatullah Nabil, Ahmad Wali Massoud, and Noorulhaq Ulomi called the Jirga a waste of time and electoral campaign by President Ashraf Ghani.
Qadir Shah, a spokesman for Mr. Atmar’s Peace and Moderation electoral ticket said that the agenda and the objectives of the Jirga are not clear and transparent.
Mr. Nabil’s electoral ticket said in a statement that the team tasked with the preparations and convening of the Jirga is comprised of individuals from a particular electoral team which lacks legitimacy and acceptance on the national level.
Latif Nazari, Second Deputy of Ahmad Wali Massoud said the electoral ticket will not attend at the Jirga and will oppose it.
Meanwhile, Noorulhaq Ulomi, a presidential candidate called the Jirga a political trick and an electoral campaign for President Ghani that will waste millions of dollar for idle.
This comes a day after Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said that members of his electoral ticket would not attend the Jirga, adding that the gathering is not helpful to overcome the current challenges in the country.
Last week, the Taliban insurgent group also rejected the Consultative Peace Jirga, calling it an attempt by the government to ensure its “illegitimate survival”.
