Afghanistan Times
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Since accepting the resignation of Balkh governor, Atta Mohammad Noor, controversy between the ousted governor and Presidential Palace is underway. President Ashraf Ghani has introduced Engineer Mohammad Dawood, as new governor to Balkh province, while Atta has been angry and defiant over the decision, taken by the Presidential Palace, and challenging the legitimacy of the Unity Government. The US Vice President Mike Pence in a telephonic conversation had already discussed the issue with President Ashraf Ghani. Now the White House and the US Ambassador to Kabul John R. Bass also emphasized on the parties involved to peacefully resolve the dispute over the transfer of authority to a new governor in Balkh province. In a statement issued by the White House said the dispute should be resolved in a way that gives Afghan masses confidence that the appointment of a new governor strengthens security and the National Unity Government’s ability to fulfill its obligations to them. “This is an issue for Afghans to decide within the framework of their constitution, and in accordance with the rule of law and the principle of equality before the Law,” the White House statement said. In the prevailing situations, the National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar and the Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani should come to the fore to implement the writ of Law by resolving the dispute peacefully as soon as possible. At least we should be capable to seek unity in diversity. However, failure of several rounds of meetings between the government leadership and Jamiat-e-Islami political party could be termed as a collective failure of the country’s political leadership. Instead of individualism, we should prefer strengthening the rule of law in the country by identifying and implementing peaceful means of dispute resolution, development of partnership and close cooperation between state and community actors and improving access to justice. Those nations where rule of law is weak—where rules exist but are not implemented or malleable-tend to end up in a morass of lawlessness and corruption. Afghanistan is home to the various ethnic populations and all of them have equal rights— guaranteed by the constitution in every walk of life. Enforcement of the national laws and preference to national interests as compared to individualism is the way forward to run the business of Afghanistan and bring durable peace and stability to the war-hit country. Hope the government leadership and the Jamiat-e-Islami party would resolve the issue of Balkh governorship in a peaceful and flexible way, without further delay. The ongoing status-quo, anarchy and warlordism in the country should be replaced by the rule of law, tolerance, democratic spirits, patriotism, unity in diversity and commitment to durable peace and stability in the country and around the globe.
