Saturday, September 24, 2016
Kabul (BNA) Representatives of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Hizb-e-Islami signed the long-awaited peace agreement in Kabul on Thursday, bringing to an end two years of negotiations.
High ranking officials from both sides, including members of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC) along with high-ranking officials from Hizb-e-Islami signed the agreement at the offices of the HPC.
Addressing officials and members of the media following the signing ceremony, a member of the HPC Habiba Sarabi said the agreement will now be passed on for President Ashraf Ghani and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to sign.
Sarabi said both sides have agreed to respect the agreement. However a meeting is planned between both sides where they will discuss a number of articles in the agreement, she said.
The chairman of the HPC Peer Sayed Ahmad Gilani said they are working to bring all other anti-government groups to the peace talks. He called on these groups that are at war with the government, to join the peace process. Security Advisor Haneef Atmar, meanwhile called on all groups, including the Taliban, to free themselves from the clauses of foreigners. He called on Taliban to stop fighting and join the peace process.
Atmar stated that Hizb-e-Islami had made a commitment not to support any ‘terrorist’ group and to announce a permanent ceasefire against Afghanistan.
He said in line with this agreement, all military activities of the party of Hizb-e-Islami will be stopped.
Atmar also said efforts are underway to remove the names of Hizb-e-Islami members from blacklists and to facilitate the return of Hikmatyar back to Afghanistan. Also addressing the gathering, the head of the Hizb-e-Islami delegation, Karim Amin, who said the group came in to the fold without any factional coalition and it is not opposed to any faction in Afghanistan.
Amin said Hizb-e-Islami’s goal is to ensure the sovereignty of Afghanistan and the Islamic system are upheld and that foreign troops withdraw. He also assured the people that Hizb-e-Islami has no demands in terms of sharing power with government.
