LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq and Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar agree that Afghanistan needs a “true representative government” of the people to achieve the long-desired peace and political stability in the war-torn country.

Addressing a reception in honour of Hekmatyar at Mansoora here on Saturday, Sirajul Haq said: “The US and international powers should announce a Marshall Plan-like aid package to meet the challenge of reconstruction of Afghanistan.”

The Afghan leader, who also served as the country’s prime minister, visited the JI headquarters along with a delegation to discuss the emerging political situation in his country and other matters of mutual interests.

The JI leadership backed the efforts of the Hizb-i-Islami and the Afghan Taliban for the establishment of peace in the country and expressed satisfaction that both sides were on the same page regarding the future of Afghanistan.

Hekmatyar announced that delegations of Hizb-i-Islami would participate in the Moscow conference on Afghanistan and also in the peace talks being hosted by Turkey next month.

He appreciated the efforts of the JI and the people of Pakistan for the liberation of Afghan soil from foreign forces. The people of Afghanistan had written a history of resistance through their blood whenever anyone attacked their soil. With limited resources, they had defeated three super powers, he said, adding that it happened only because they had the power of faith.

Mr Haq paid tribute to the determination and courage of the Afghan leadership and people for waging a decades-long struggle to free their land of foreign forces. He said the US forces must leave the Afghan soil, providing opportunity to the people of the country to decide their future. He asked India not to hatch conspiracies to destabilise the region and instead pay attention to the issues of poverty and hunger inflicting millions of Indians. He said he had full faith that Kashmir and Palestine would achieve freedom and peace and stability would be established in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Sirajul Haq, JI Secretary General Ameerul Azim and others received the Afghan delegation at Mansoora and hosted a lunch in their honour.

Hekmatyar thanked the JI leaders and workers for according them a warm welcome.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2021