KABUL - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah on Friday called on political leaders to rise above all sorts of biases, including ethno-linguistic differences.
All political leaders should work together to cement national unity and ensure social justice, the CEO told a gathering on the first death anniversary of former lawmaker Qurbal Ali Irfani in Kabul.
Irfani, a senior Hezb-i-Wahdat leader, died last year of cancer in the Iranian city of Qum. Born in 1941 in the Yakawlang district of Bamyan province, he served as senator as well as an advisor to then president Hamid Karzai.
Abdullah paid tribute to the former legislator’s struggle for ethnic harmony, asking the national leadership to focus on doing justice to all Afghan citizens without any discrimination.
“Whenever biased or divisive tendencies are seen in actions and speeches of leaders, efforts for progress are harmed. A strong leader neither allows people to get alienated from him/her nor ignore public demands.”
He said Afghans had always prevailed on their enemies, no matter how strong or resourceful they were. A nation’s real strength stemmed from its unity and resilience, the CEO added.
Vice-President Sarwar Danish also hailed Irfani as a responsible political leader, with a constructive and forward-looking agenda.
Danish sought public cooperation on boosting security on the Kabul-Maidan Wardak highway. All Afghans should support the government’s efforts in this regard, the VP said.
Addressing the government’s armed opponents, he said: “Be united on the fact that war offers no solution, and that you can gain nothing through war.” The country, faced with multiple crises, might suffer immeasurably as a result of further neglect, he warned.
Deputy CEO Mohammad Mohaqiq hailed Irfani as an untiring campaigner for the revival of Afghanistan’s sovereignty, unity and social justice.
“The current security situation in the country is precarious due to our inadequate efforts or foreign interference. But without unity and social justice, we can’t reach our destination,” he remarked. (Pajhwok)