Head of Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has said most items of his peace draft offered to the government had been accepted and hoped the one which was identifying Peace Zones be accepted.
Hekmatyar told reporter here, he chalked out a peace draft in which stress over inter-Afghan talks had been made. The opening of office for the Taliban in Kabul and separating Peace Zones is part of the HIA’s peace plan.
He said the US and Saudi Arabia discussed the matter of designating Peace Zone for the Taliban and opening office for them in Kabul and supported the suggestions.
Hekmatyar said no armed groups from the Taliban, foreign forces and Afghan forces would be present in the Peace Zones where the Taliban leaders with their families will be living.
He added the Peace Zones would be selected during talks between the Taliban and Afghan government and its security and other matters would be discussed during talks.
He asked the Taliban not to stress over direct talks with the US and negotiate with the Afghan government.
He termed peace as the last solution of crisis in the country and added some circles showed opposition with his peace draft and defined the Peace Zones as handing over some provinces to the Taliban.
Earlier, Jihadi leader Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf said handing over some provinces will not help the peace bid and added Mujahidin would never allow this to happen and push Afghanistan to the verge of collapse.
Hekmatyar again stressed over the conduct of free, fair and timely Wolesi Jirga and District Council elections and asked the political parties, influential people to help the government in the conduct fair election.
This piece originally appeared on www.pajhwok.com on March 24, 2018. Original link.
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