Ashraf Ghani approves 48 Reconciliation Council members for intra-Afghan talks

In a promising development in the preparation of intra-Afghan talks with Taliban, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a decree on August 29 approved 48 members of the High Council for National Reconciliation led by Abdullah Abdullah. Ghani also called on the religious scholars, the parliament, the private sector, media and provincial councils to introduce their own selections for the membership of the council within the upcoming week. 

ANI has reported that the members of the council announced in the decree include many personalities such as country’s former president Hamid Karzai, former mujahideen leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili former deputy chief executive Mohammad Mohaqiq among many others. 

The decree, as reported by media, said leadership members of the council include -- Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdul Salam Rahimi deputy head of the council, Enayatullah Farahmand deputy head of the council, Asadullah Saadati deputy head of the council, Zuhra Mutahari former deputy governor of Paktia, member of Afghanistan Ulema Council Atta-Ur-Rahman Salim, head of Hizb-e-Islami Nawin Din Mohammad, political figure Akram Khpulwak, head of the negotiation team Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, special presidential envoy Noor-Ul-Haq Olumi.

As per the agreement signed between the Afghan government and Abdullah nack in May, it was Ghani’s responsibility to authorise the members of the High Council for National reconciliation by issuing a decree. This High Council of Government that will be established, the agreement states, is to ensure political consensus in the nation and members will be political leaders and national figures.  

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Negotiations to start this week in Doha

This comes after Abdullah and other top leaders had said earlier that US-backed intra-Afghan talks with Taliban are expected to start in this week and the first roundtable talks are expected to be conducted in Doha, Qatar. It would also mark the beginning of ending the years-long conflict in the nation. Abdullah Abdullah, who will lead the Afghan’s High Council for National Reconciliation had said in a seminar in Kabul that the team is “well prepared” to enter the negotiations. 

Meanwhile, international media agency had also reported that the Taliban’s chief has finalised a negotiating team for their side and is said to have sweeping decision-making powers. Group’s top negotiator, Maulvi Hibatullah Akhunzada told AP that he has personally selected the 20-member team including 13 from the Taliban's leadership council, that is, around half of the council's total members.

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(With inputs from agencies)

(Image: AP)