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KABUL: Former Jihadi leader, Mohammad Karim Khalili blames President Ashraf Ghani for not considering Taliban’s messages for peace talks serious.
Khalili who served as vice president under Hamid Karzai and chaired the High Peace Council in Ghani’s government, said Friday that he had letter exchanges with the Taliban when he ran the peace council.
According to Khalili, Taliban wrote to him that they were ready to sit with the government for peace negotiations.
He said that Taliban leader, Mullah Hibatullaah even sent a negotiating team to Helmand province in the south, but President Ghani declined to hold talks with the insurgents in that time.
Khalili addressed a gathering on the occasion of Ashura (Moharram 10th) that Ghani asked him time to send a delegation to Helmand, but he didn’t.
Khalili said he made a lot of efforts as the chairman of the peace council that letter exchanges with Taliban was part of his efforts.
He regretted that the “golden chance” was not used, but hoped the current chance to be used properly for peace.
“You burnt that chance and didn’t use it that led you to this bad day. But you should not lose this chance, otherwise we will face a worse situation,” Khalili called on Ghani.
President Ghani appointed the members of the newly reconciliation council led by his electoral rival Abdullah Abdullah.
The new council has 46 members including seven women one of whom is Abdullah’s deputy.
The council is responsible to run peace efforts with the Taliban.
The insurgent group has also appointed a 20-member delegation led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai to hold the protracted peace talks with the government.
