Majrouh’s 90th birth anniversary marked; Karzai wants US, regional powers’ inclusion in Afghan peace efforts

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By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Former President Hamid Karzai wants US-Russia-plus regional powers inclusion in ongoing US mission to fix peace conundrum in the country, and has expressed his fully support to the process leads by Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.

Taking on the 90th birth anniversary of Dr. Sayed Bahodine Majrouh on Wednesday, Hamid Karzai welcomed US efforts for peace in Afghanistan; insisting these efforts must be held in coordination and cooperation with the regional countries, instead to be contrasted with them.

The anniversary has been organized by Hamid Karzai’s Foundation, and the participants hailed Bahodine Majrouh’s efforts and remembered him with dignity.

In the ceremony, former President termed country’s situation sensitive, and said he was against US in Afghanistan due to civilian casualties, but now he backs Washington’s peace efforts.

“As I seriously opposing US war here; at the same level, I strictly support and cooperate with the Washington peace movements.”

Pointing toward recent Moscow conference on Afghanistan’s peace, in which representatives from High Peace Council (HPC), Taliban group, and regional countries were attended, Karzai said these two peace efforts (Washington-and-Moscow) must be conducted in coordination and cooperation, instead to be in contrast with each others.

He must be proceed peace in cooperation and coordination of neighboring, region and world countries, and the success of the process in contrary with the Russia, China and Iran is impossible.

US peace efforts sans coordination and cooperation with Moscow, Tehran, Beijing, and some other region countries, would bear no fruitful results, thus they are inclusive is important in the peace process.

During my meetings with US envoy, I have been supportive to peace efforts all the time, ex-president said, but chalked out its success on conditions. “At the outset we are agreed for US-Taliban negotiation and supported this. But at the same time, USA has to support Afghan-owned reconciliation and Afghans must involve in peace talks.”

Secondly, results of peace talks should be shared with the Afghans. “All Afghan people must be taken under confidence in ongoing peace talks and it should be a national process not a group, or party procedure.”

There are differences between negotiations and deals. Talks between US, and Taliban – Afghan government and Taliban is something else – but deal between US and Pakistan is something else, Karzai added.

We at war due to foreign deals, but it don’t mean we don’t want peace with Pakistan, the former president said, adding “If Pakistan takes one step, we take hundreds, but from a strong position representing a sovereign, and independent Afghanistan.”

However, he called on Taliban to set on table with the Afghan government and the people—asking the government to form a national negotiating team to be acceptable for Afghans to talk with the Taliban group.

Hinting to the ongoing bombings in some provinces that cause civilian casualties, once again former president Karzai asked US forces to halt the bombings –and at the same time called on Taliban group to shun conflict.

Pointing toward commemoration of 90th birth anniversary of Dr. Sayed Bahodine Majrouh, Karzai said besides running memorial of national and cultural figures, Hamid Karzai Foundation provides scholarships to the students to pursue their education in foreign countries.

 ‘We are an enriched historical and culture country, but unfortunately in the past 40 years, a kind of fog had created shadow over different aspects across the country,” he asserted.

Pointing toward different countries TV channels programs, he said that most of them allocated some programs for their historical, cultural and national issues, but unfortunate, in Afghanistan most of the TV channels broadcasting foreign serials, songs and programs.

Meanwhile, Head of Hamid Karzai’s Foundation and former National Security Adviser, Dr. Rangeen Dadfar Spanta said that besides sending youths to foreign universities through scholarships, the foundation also commemorates national and cultural figures.

He said that Dr. Majrouh was born in 1928 in Kunar, and after graduation from school he pursed higher education in France and Germany universities.

Dr. Majroh had Phd degree, but he was martyred in Peshawar due to unveiling facts. He was 60.

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Sayed Makhdom Raheen, expressed his pleasure over commemoration of cultural and national figures by the foundation. “This culture must be boosted in the country.”