Afghanistan Times
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Reports reveal that progress has been made on a plan for the creation of a joint government between President Ashraf Ghani and former CEO Abdullah Abdullah – the twin presidents who both sworn in on the same day. With immense pressures from the international community regarding forming an inclusive government, the feuding Afghan leaders finally cave in. The Presidential Palace has previously agreed that it wants the political tensions to be settled through talks and diplomacy. Ever since the presidential crisis, some elite politicians have been trying to mediate between the squabbling leaders – among them former President Hamid Karzai, Jihadi leader Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf, and some Wolesi Jirga members. The mechanism under which these leaders are supposed to reportedly come together entails hand-over of the chairmanship of High Peace Council to Abdullah, 50 percent share in the cabinet, and the appointment of governors and police commanders in the provinces where Abdullah secured the majority of votes. Considering the urgent matters of COVID-19 and peace process with the Taliban, it is without a doubt that Afghanistan needs a unified and authoritative government to deal with these issues –political stability for which is a sine qua non. Since the twin presidents’ quarrel, a cloud of uncertainty and gloom has spread across the country. Now that the future dispensation has turned into a global issue of concern – as the international community is pressing these leaders to form an inclusive government – it means that yet another national unity government (NUG) is inevitable. If that’s the case, the coming together of these leaders to form a government for the next five years should be one that doesn’t lead to segregation and further divisions among Afghans. Afghan people have vividly experienced the bitter recriminations in the past term of these leaders. Therefore, the mediating parties – comprised of both local elders and international partners – should see to it that the terms put forth in the potential power-sharing scheme by the sides aren’t conducive for the same fiascoes of the past. For starters, the idea of appointing governors and police commanders just to satisfy the leaders’ respective constituencies separately is an utter recipe for division. Going against the electoral results to form an inclusive government is already a step in the wrong direction in the first place, but agreeing on a plan with such provisions is indeed the first step among many to bring us on the threshold of anarchy – something that is detrimental for Afghanistan.
