Only interim government can bring peace, says Hamdard

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Former goveor and key member of the Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan Juma Khan Hamdard on Thursday said the monopolised power in northe Afghanistan and denying key political parties their participation in the govement were main reasons behind the ongoing conflict in the country.

Addressing tribal elders, religious scholars and the youth in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northe Balkh province, Hamdard said those who monopolized power in the north were now unable to deal with the ongoing situation there. However, he did not name anyone.

The former goveor said the central govement alone could not prevent the conflict in the north. Hamdard said he arrived in the north to defend the rights of his people and to end injustices meted out to them. He waed of widespread protests if his people were denied their rights.

“In the past, I defended my people with tanks. Now if someone denies them their rights, I will fill all the roads in the north with people,…so many people that they will not be removed with tanks. “

Hamdard said had the Hezb-i-Islami and the Taliban been invited to the Bo conference, Afghanistan would not have been in its current crisis. “After the Bo conference, most govement officials belonged to the same village and due to that injustice, the Hezb-i-Islami and many Afghans rose in opposition of the govement.”

He said the Hezb-i-Islami had been in contact with the Afghan govement regarding peace over the past few years, but the govement had no clear stance. He said an interim govement should be installed to end the conflict and bring peace, adding without such a set up, peace would continue to elude Afghanistan.

He said the Afghans were fed up with the current situation and if their demands were not considered, it would result in a huge crisis. Hamdard said he distanced himself from the govement after people’s properties were usurped.

ma