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Hekmatyar may nominate for the presidential elections
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] The leader of Hezb-e-Islami party Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
may nominate for the presidential elections scheduled to be organized in 2019 as a draft peace agreement was signed between the Afghan government and the party last week.

A top leader of the party Qazi Hakim has indicated that Hekmatyar could stand in the next presidential elections.

"Although it is premature to say anything now, I do not rule out the possibility of Hekmatyar becoming a presidential candidate," Hakim quoted in a report by The Express Tribune said.

He said Hezb-e-Islami would take active part n next parliamentary elections of Afghanistan.

The signing of the draft peace agreement between the Afghan government and Hezb-e-Islami was widely welcomed by the government officials and prominent political figures.

The draft peace agreement is expected to be signed by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
and Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the near future.

The agreement was signed after almost six months of negotiations between the Afghan High Peace Council and delegation of Hezb-e-Islami.

Hekmatyar formally endorsed the elections in 2014 and called on his supporters to take active part in the elections.

"Convey to Hizb-e-Islami members to take part in the provincial councils’ elections and support those candidates who are either related to us or have a positive view about the party," Hekmatyar said in a letter.

He also added "Hizb-e-Islami is not directly taking part in the elections due to the presence of occupation forces but will exercise the right of vote to get those candidates elected who are close to our party and ideology."


Posted by: Fred 2016-09-25
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=468490