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In a chaotic day, presidential rivals have held parallel oath ceremonies as president, signalling the urgency of a ‘political reconciliation’ – in a country deeply embroiled in extremist insurgency
AT News
KABUL: Amid risks of political polarization, the Senate has taken umbrage at acrimonious feud between the political rivals Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah, warning that Monday’s parallel swearing-in ceremonies could present the insurmountable dilemma of ‘partition’.
Senators have warned that inauguration ceremonies of the two presidential rivals has rang the terrifying alarm bells of partition of Afghanistan. They urged both the political leaders to iron out their differences and unite for restoration of peace.
The Senate chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar underscored the urgency of entente between Abdullah and Ghani, who he said should work on more important issues of national concern.
First deputy chairman of the Senate, Mohammad Alam Ezdyar, during Tuesday’s plenary session reckoned that the political and security crisis has put Afghanistan on the edge of the precipice “amid foreign intervention, corruption and poverty emanating from this political instability”.
“The nation expects both Ghani and Abdullah to set aside their differences and rivet their effort to saving Afghanistan,” he said.
Ezdyar said that Monday’s parallel presidential inaugurations has rang the alarm bells of partition. “We now have to awaken the silent majority and urge both the leaders to be more insightful and prudent in their decision-makings,” he said.
President-elect Ashraf Ghani took oath of the office for a second term in the presidential palace, while, at the same time, his main rival for the presidency swore himself setting the foundation of his ‘parallel government’.
This signalled that diplomatic attempts by the U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad the day earlier to mediate between the political rivals and broker a deal had foundered. The dilemma risks spilling into the impending peace talks with the Taliban – an inevitable fallout of a rancorous wrangling that could culminate in a disaster Afghans cannot afford.
