KOHAT, Nov 15: Chief of his own faction of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan, Gulbadin Hekmatyar has requested Pakistan to allow him to enter Jalalabad through Torkham to take part in the future UN-sponsored peace initiatives for a broad-based and multi-ethnic future setup in the country.

He regretted that despite his repeated appeals the authorities in Pakistan were not allowing him legal entrance and rejected his requests for visa. He claimed that commanders and politicians loyal to Hezb in Laghman, Kunar and Jalalabad were waiting for his arrival to play their role in the formation of a interim setup, which would transfer power to a broad-based government in a specific time frame under the auspices of the UN.

A special messenger of Hekmatyar, Sana Gul Sangri who arrived here from Iran on Thursday, told Dawn that the Hezb chief was planning to cross into Afghanistan directly from Iran if a formal permission or a visa was not granted to him by Pakistan.

He quoted Hekmatyar as saying that for a durable peace in Afghanistan the participation of all the factions, groups and tribal elders in the UN-sponsored talks was necessary. He said all such groups who fought against the USSR should not be neglected in any talks.