Abdul Hakim Mujahid, deputy chairman of the High Peace Council (HPC), was relieved of duty after he was blamed for publicly labeling the Taliban as "angels of peace".
Mujahid caused uproar last week when he also denounced a number of former Afghan leaders including former president Najibullah, Burhanuddin Rabbani
... the gentlemanly murdered legitimate president of Afghanistan...
and Ahmad Shah Masoud.
Mujibur Rahman Rahimi, front man for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said Mujahid would no be longer at the HPC, confirming that the action was taken after Mujahid's remarks.
A day earlier, the Presidential Palace condemned Mujahid. "The government would not allow any one misuse the freedom of speech to name the murderers of children and women, those who damaged places of worship and public properties, as ’angels of peace’," said a statement from the Palace.
For his part, Mujahid rejected all the allegations. The former Taliban-era diplomat said he just quoted former president Rabbani who named the Taliban "angels of peace" before the Taliban emerged to power. Mujahid was a member of the Taliban until 2010. He was the Taliban’s envoy to Pakistain and the United Nations
...an idea whose time has gone...
during its rule in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.