The Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish said that the upcoming presidential elections has nothing to do with the peace process and that there is no legal justification for delaying the process.
Addressing an event on commemorating the 3rd death anniversary of Qurban Ali Erfani, leader of Hizb-e Wahdat-e Islami Millat-e Afghanistan, Danish said peace does not mean to end the incumbent government or ignore the past seventeen years’ achievements.
He said establishing an interim administration is an old thought and that an interim government will benefit the enemies.
“The old slogan of an interim government is completely unnecessary, unimplementable and against Afghanistan’s Constitution. In fact, it means going backwards and means creating a crisis. This is a demand that is, more than anything else, for the benefit of Afghanistan’s internal and external enemies and it is not for the benefit of the Afghan people,” said Danish.
However, some other political figures at the same event said the National Unity Government does not have control over peace and war in the country.
Ahmad Wali Massoud, head of Massoud Foundation, said many political groups, especially the main parties fighting the Taliban, have been kept away from peace talks.
Massoud criticized government over the “overall irregularities, poor-management and challenges in the country”.
“Nor the war neither the peace authority is in our hands. We do not have the authority over elections and interim government. Some people say that government has the authority over these issues, but believe me government is not making the decision. It is only the loudspeaker for people who make decisions,” said Massoud.
Speakers at the event meanwhile talked on activities and achievements of Qurban Ali Erfani.
“Erfani was a political, influential, religious, committed and pragmatist figure,” said Abdul Qahar Abid, head of the office of Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
The remarks by the second vice president over presidential elections and peace talks come as reports said US is pushing the Afghan government to postpone elections to help the peace talks.
The reports said Washington is afraid that chaos after election may damage the peace process.
The Afghan government however has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of any delay in elections.
