- Says Afghanistan’s joining CPEC would prove to be a real game-changer for entire region
- Welcomes ceasefire offer by Taliban for Afghan peace dialogue
ISLAMABAD – Senior Northern Alliance leader and Deputy Chief Executive of Afghanistan, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq has welcomed the idea of extending nodes of China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, saying that Afghanistan’s inclusion into CPEC would prove to be a real game-changer for entire region.
“China, Pakistan Economic Corridor is a very important project. This would provide the basis for success of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It could also prove to be a real game-changer for the whole region,” said the veteran Afghan leader in an exclusive interview with DiploMag Magazine.
“Success of CPEC will have a very good effect on the whole region and China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the central Asian states would benefit. All these countries can get the best advantage of this project,” he said.
Flanked by human rights activist Kazim Ali and others, Mohaqiq said that the recent connectivity project announced by Pakistan of developing a trade route linking Peshawar and Kabul was a good initiative which could pave the way for extension of CPEC into Afghanistan.
“It’s a very important project on the first stage, if we just discussed Pakistan and Afghanistan. So, it will be a very, very important motorway to connect Pakistan and Afghanistan. This highway is basically up to the Kabul and it will not end in Jalalabad. So, it will have, mutual trade benefits for both the brotherly neighbours”.
He said through this connectivity project, transit goods would be transported to Afghanistan and upto Central Asia.
“Afghan businessmen can have a very good advantage of this route and they would have access to warm waters through various ports in Pakistan. So, it will also promote connectivity which will be beneficial, connecting Afghanistan with other neighbors too”.
Mohaqiq said that success of this project would also supplement some big connectivity projects like TAPI and CASA 1000.
AFGHAN LEADER WELCOMES CEASEFIRE FOR TALIBAN, US DIALOGUE
The Afghan leader Mohammad Mohaqiq also welcomed the announcement made by Afghan Taliban for a ‘brief ceasefire’ in Afghan war to finalise dialogue with the US administration, calling for extending the ceasefire to help intra-Afghan dialogue succeed.
The veteran Afghan leader Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, who himself commanded Hazara tribesmen to fight against Soviet occupation forces in early 1980s, said that the ceasefire should not be confined to the agreement between the Taliban and the US forces.
“The offer for ceasefire or the promise of bringing down the graph of violence for some time will help facilitate talks between Taliban and the United States. So I personally welcome it. This is good because dialogue would help the Americans leave Afghanistan through a negotiated settlement,” said the Hazara leader.
However, Mohaqiq said that this ceasefire should be extended to facilitate intra- Afghan dialogue as it will create a very good environment for talks.
“But even if the Taliban don’t agree to a ceasefire for intra-Afghan dialogue, even then we are ready to talks. We would talk even if fight continues. But this is my own views,” he said.
For intra-Afghan dialogue, Mohaqiq floated an idea that delegation for talks with Taliban should be very comprehensive and it should consist of the four basic parts of society.
“The delegation should include Afghan government; opposition parties; civil society; and women. Such a broader delegation can talk to the Taliban with the more executive power. There should be guarantees for the implementation of these talks too,” he said.
Mohaqiq said that dialogue could not sacrifice civil liberties being practiced in Afghanistan since past two decades.
“These values are recognized in the world and we are also been practicing these values for last 18 years including democracy, human rights, women rights which are a part of our Constitution,” the Afghan leader observed.
Recalling good memories of working with Pakistan, Mohaqiq said Pakistan had played a very good and important role in Afghan peace process in the past.
“And we believe Pakistan will help this peace process with all its capacity. We hope that Pakistan will not spare anything to promote this peace process,” he maintained.
Asked to comment on claim made by Afghan refugees minister Mr Hussain Alemi Balkhi that Afghan government had allocated thousands of acres of land for housing refugees returning from Pakistan and whether Afghan government had developed infrastructure to provide shelters for Afghan refugees, Mohaqiq said that there were refugees returning from Pakistan, Iran and even Europe.
“So when they (refugees) return and see nothing is there for shelter, they’re really disappointed. Even if we assume that Afghan government has allocated some land for refugees’ shelter, only land can’t house the shelter-less. Moreover, the refugees need to eat and feed their families too besides security. If they don’t have shelter, they don’t have anything to eat or don’t feel secure, they will go back. So I think it’s a very difficult question to answer,” he asserted.
Asked why results of Afghan presidential elections have not been announced despite lapse of five-long months, Mohaqiq said that there are lots of questions over the authenticity of elections in Afghanistan.
“There are a lot of questions over Afghan polls. There are claims and counterclaims of systematic rigging going on for four to five months now. It seriously has brought the legitimacy of the whole process into question,” he said. Asked if his party was going to accept these results, Mohaqiq said that it had been decided that this time only those votes will be accepted which are processed through biometric device to preserve the transparency of the process.
“This decision was also announced by the Chief Election Commissioner. Like Pakistan, we also have the same system to count the vote immediately after the voting time. We are not going to accept any invalid vote which is not verified through biometric devices,” he said.
He said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah has said that only those valuable votes processed through biometric machines, will be accepted.
“So, if our team leader rejects these delayed results, we will stand by him,” concluded the Afghan leader.
*Additional Reporting by Bilal Sabri
