July 19, 2019
President Ghani, in his interview, with Turkish news agency, TRT News, broadcast on Tuesday, July, 16, 2019, stated that the possible peace deal with Taliban would not affect the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan. The presidential election in the country is scheduled for September 28, 2019, according to the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Ghani said that we have to differentiate the peace deal that is considered to influence the elections. The President was of the view that it’s not a peace deal between the US and Taliban, rather it is a deal between the Afghan government and Taliban. Moreover, Afghan government is on the same ground with its international allies to make an early peace deal with Taliban.
Ghani further said that, based on formal figures, of nearly 400 districts, only 22 are under the Taliban control. “The Taliban do not control a single city.”
He further stated that elections are inevitable because it is backed by the constitution. Peace requires tough decisions, which technically ought to be taken by the next president of Afghanistan, elected through the democratic process, getting a mandate from none other than the people of Afghanistan.
Responding to a question about Taliban’s stance to restore the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, Ghani ruled out any such possibility. The Islamic Emirate was not accepted by the Afghans; it was instead forced upon them. Besides, Loya Jirga, that took place in April this year, has also validated the notion of republic.
Taliban’s demand of creating an interim government was rejected by the President. The establishment of Interim government is nonsense. Only democratically elected government has the right to dissolve itself, he added.
It is pertinent to note that, the notion of creating an interim government was proposed by several presidential candidates back in May 2019. The demand came in the backdrop of the current presidency’s term ending on May 22, 2019. Though, the supreme court of the country has extended the president’s term till next presidential elections are held.
Afghanistan’s international allies are also concerned about the presidential elections and the possible peace deal with Afghan Taliban. Tadamichi Yamamoto, Head United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), expressed that Afghans are concerted to reach a negotiated settlement. In addition to that, upcoming elections mark an important event to reassert the democratic political structure in Afghanistan, where people can democratically choose their leader for the coming tenure.
However, for smooth elections peace deal with Taliban is of core importance, because in the post-settlement scenario, more people would have the opportunity to participate rigorously and in large numbers. Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan states that 2002 out of total 7385 polling centers would be closed due to security concerns. In contrast, the possible peace deal would also give an opportunity to Afghan Taliban to become part of state machinery by contesting and becoming part of the electoral process.
This piece is contributed by Zabih Ullah (from Kabul, Afghanistan), research intern at Afghan Studies Center and an IR graduate.
Disclaimer: Views expressed on this blog are not necessarily endorsed or supported by the Afghan Studies Center and Center for Research and Security Studies, Islamabad.
