Members of three mainstream political parties on May 19, said the Afghan government is not willing to form a negotiating team and that it has “no intention” for peace, reports Tolo News. The formation of the negotiation team, which was a main demand of the peace Jirga delegates, is counted as the main step for moving forward the peace process. The party’s members said the Afghan government has “failed” to implement the suggestions of the Jirga delegates.
A ceasefire, formation of a negotiating team and expediting the peace efforts were the main demands of the peace Jirga delegates which ended on May 3. “The president has not considered the suggestions made by the peace Jirga delegates,” said Abdullah Qarloq, the deputy head of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan. “Unfortunately, government’s aim about the peace Jirga was not peace, but it was an attempt to create challenges on the way of peace; therefore, it does not have an intention for peace,” said Assadullah Saadati, member of Hizb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami party. The Afghan government has not reached out members of mainstream political parties to consult on a strategy about the future of the peace talks with the Taliban, said Noor Rahman Akhlaqi, a Jamiat-e-Islami party member.
Sources said the government has started consultations on the Jirga delegates suggestions.