Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani during his official visit to Bamyan termed the province ‘guardian of the republic’ and an example of unity among religious denominations.
The president who was addressing a large gathering of elders, influential figures and other demographics of the province said Bamyan symbolizes national unity where everyone believes in rights of citizenship, equality, social justice, and rights of women, a statement from the presidential press office said.
President Ghani stressed that Bamyan is no longer a prisoner of geography and said the province is now playing a foundational role in the political narrative of Afghanistan, according to the statement.
“The day when Taliban exploded Buddhas of Bamyan, every Afghan’s heart was scarred,” said the president while underscoring that it is the responsibility of every Afghan, and specifically every Bamyani, to protect cultural heritages and monuments.
Speaking on peace process, President Ghani said the government is determined to move forward with wisdom, vision and commitment and in line with the mandate and limits set by the Consultative Peace Jirga.
The president underscored, “It is up to all of us to protect the Republic,” and added, “I call on every young, woman, man and Islamic cleric to support the republic with an expressive and rallying voice.”
In the gathering a number of elders and influential figures spoke on behalf of the Bamyan residents and shared their demands, recommendations and challenges.
Their recommendations mainly centered on expedition of construction projects, mechanization of agriculture, re-structuring of some local offices and units, improvement of health service delivery and education, promotion of tourism industry, mining as well as addressing the challenges of water shortage, access to power, lack of healthcare and addict rehabilitation centers.
The Bamyan governor called for the expansion of the Citizen Charter program in the districts and the implementation of the National Food Program in the province.
Addressing the event, second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danesh reminded of the historical and cultural features of Bamyan, saying that the sustainable development of the province was one of the important priorities of the Afghan government.
He added: "The government of Afghanistan has supported the peace process step by step for the past two years and today we have entered an important stage of negotiations between the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban."
"No one will win through war, and these negotiations will be managed in a way that will lead us to a dignified peace and lasting security," he said.
The first Vice President, Amrullah Saleh, also spoke and thanked the people of Bamyan province for clearly sharing their demands and problems, saying that some of your promises could be fulfilled. He spoke about the peace and values of the republic and called on the people of Bamyan to increase the share of their youth in the ranks of the security and defense forces.
The president and his accompanying delegation visited the operational work of Yakawlang-Darae Souf road, which is due to complete by February 2021.
