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KABUL: The two mates of presidential runner Zalmay Rassoul for upcoming September election, have announced their break off with the team after Rassoul withdraws as a presidential candidate in favor of President Ashraf Ghani.
The Abdul JabarTaqwa, the first vice president, and Ghulam Ali Wahdat, the second, in a press briefing announced their quit as mates of the“Etedal and Barabara” (Equality and Moderation)team lead by Rassoul on Tuesday, insisting that peace must be on top agenda than the election.
Mr.Taqwa said the team was not active since starting a campaign, thus they made the decision to quit.
Expressing concern over a rigged election, he said launching of the free, fair and nationwide election won’t be possible until peace not achieved.
“We are going toward the election, while conflict is taking enroot in every hook and corny, and the victims on both sides are Afghans,” he told newsmen.
Noting over current uncertainty, he called on all politicians, civil societies, parties, and Afghan masses, including women to first work to achieve peace and election could be happening later.
There would be a great chance of having free, fair, and transparent election across the country once there is peace, he said, adding, a nationwide election is possible when there is peace and that would be carried out in a best manner acceptable for everyone.
Ali Wahdatthe second vice president who quitRassoul’s team, said currently war continues in different parts of the country and both sides claims progress in the battleground. He hoped the involved warring parties stop fighting and move toward a ceasefire.
“It is essential to the government and Taliban fighters to stop fighting and work for peace in order to put an end before ongoing bloodsheds through the country.”
He added that the government and Taliban members must sit in the one table in a bid to seek a proper way to resolve the current crisis.
On Monday, a number of politicians and leaders of different political parties said that there are unprecedented opportunities in the ground to reach peace in Afghanistan, thus the government must put the peace process on top agenda rather than ongoing elections.
According to them, peace—an essential ingredient that prevents any sorts of conflicts, and the government must focus and give priority to the process.
They believe that the elections won’t be free, fair and nationwide, accusing the government of sabotaging the peace process via conducting fraudulent elections.
