KABUL - Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of the Hizb-e-Islami political party said Saturday that as US-Taliban talks have reached a vital stage, there is no sign of a political consensus within the country.
Speaking at a gathering in Herat marking the anniversary of the former Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, Hekmatyar said that some people are trying to harm the peace process.
It comes as the United States and the Taliban have agreed to a temporary truce that, if successful, would open the way for a deal that would bring American troops home from Afghanistan and end 18 years of war, Associated Press reported.
According to the report, the peace deal would call for negotiations between Afghans on both sides of the conflict to start next month, an eventual countrywide cease-fire and a commitment from the Taliban not to harbor terrorist groups like al Qaida, while setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
However, the Afghan government said that an inclusive negotiator team has been formed, but Hekmatyar said that the Afghan politicians have been kept in dark regarding the formation of such a team.
Hekmatyar said all laterals should be involved in the negotiation, suggesting a comprehensive team comprised of the three leading electoral tickets – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar – and Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, should be formed.
“If we fail to take advantage of the opportunity, we will face the same consequences that we had faced following the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan,” said Hekmatyar stressing, “it could not be in favor of anyone.”
Meanwhile, Anwarul Haq Ahadi, the former Finance Minister and a front-row supporter of Abdullah Abdullah-led electoral team said that the team should be consist of government-based figures as well as Afghan politicians so that they sit in direct talks with the Taliban. (ATN)