Taliban reject Afghan president’s proposal for election
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KABUL: The Taliban on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold elections later this year, after months of peace talks between the two warring sides have made little progress.
Although he hasn’t made details public, Ghani will announce the election plan at a stakeholder conference in Turkey next month, according to two government officials.
The move is likely an attempt to undercut a US proposal — supported by Russia — for the formation of an interim government involving the Taliban to rule the country once the last US troops withdraw.
“The government will go to Turkey with a plan for an early election which is a fair plan for the future of Afghanistan,” one senior official said. The Taliban immediately rejected the proposal.
“Such processes (elections) have pushed the country to the verge of crisis in the past,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said of Ghani’s plan.
“They are now talking about a process that has always been scandalous,” he said, adding any decision on the country’s future must be hammered out in ongoing talks between the two sides. “We will never support it.”
The United States is due to withdraw the last of its troops by May 1 under a deal hammered out with the Taliban last year, although President Joe Biden said earlier this month the deadline would be “tough” to meet.
Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2021
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Comments (31) Closed
Mar 25, 2021 10:02am
Taliban will never go for election they know they will never win because Afgan people never vote for them.
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Mar 25, 2021 10:11am
They know they won't even get 1% vote :)
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Mar 25, 2021 10:17am
After taking control of more than half the country by fighting both USA & Afghan forces is no mean feat. Why surrender this strategic advantage as both USA & Afghan govt realizes that they cannot bear the Taliban if they fight for another decade with the latest weapons. They should realize this advantage and negotiate accordingly.
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Mar 25, 2021 10:31am
@SAN ,
Do you have any idea what the voter turnout in the last sham elections was? But then you compare it with the near zero Kashmir turnout, right? Anything above zero makes you happy!
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Mar 25, 2021 10:34am
Indians should know the last voter turnout- just above 1 million in a country of 4 crore!
The mayor of Kabul is nobody's leader.
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Mar 25, 2021 10:35am
Taliban thugs know, in a clean democratic election they can't win. They have been making themselves relevant by brutal suppression, intimidation and violence. They have no popular vote base and absolutely not among women.
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Mar 25, 2021 10:58am
Afghan civil society has progressed by leaps and bounds in all sectors. Afghanistan has one of the freest media in the region and all mediums have proliferated immensely in the last twenty years. Educational institutions produced graduates with advanced degrees in higher education, which has altered the mindset and outlook of the youth towards building a progressive nation for the coming generations. Afghans cannot tolerate the narrow minded narrative of the Taliban and they will resist them.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:03am
Afghan civil society has progressed by leaps and bounds in all sectors. Afghanistan has one of the freest media in the region and all mediums have proliferated immensely in the last twenty years. Educational institutions produced graduates with advanced degrees in higher education, which has altered the mindset and outlook of the youth towards building a progressive nation for the coming generations. Afghans cannot tolerate the narrow minded narrative of the Taliban and they will resist them.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:09am
@Fastrack,
Did Imran Khan get elected or selected? Perhaps, you should get Pakistani observers to monitor the next election in India and Afghanistan, because elections in Pakistan are free and fair.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:12am
It is more than an extension for Ghani as President than an election. Corrupt mafia in power.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:12am
Ghani is following US orders because Ghani cannot even breathe without US approval, so basically the Ghani's plan is a ruse. The US plan is to find a reason' to stay and Ghani's plan provides that perfect opportunity. Now the US can say that all the parties are not living up to the agreement, so the US-Taliban agreement is irrelevant and now US needs more time to come up with a new plan. Soon all the pressure will now be on Pak to reign in the Taliban and help US win.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:13am
India must stop interfering in Afghans country. No way, Ghani is going to hold government for a long time. Afghanistan is going to be a Taliban’s government soon.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:17am
Afghan civil society has progressed by leaps and bounds in all sectors. Afghanistan has one of the freest media in the region and all mediums have proliferated immensely in the last twenty years. Educational institutions produced graduates with advanced degrees in higher education, which has altered the mindset and outlook of the youth towards building a progressive nation for the coming generations. Afghans cannot tolerate the narrow minded narrative of the Taliban and they will resist them.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:21am
no corono fear
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Mar 25, 2021 11:22am
Talibans should be destroyed forever.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:37am
The Taliban do not want a democratic government, they intend to impose the rule of Shari'yah without any exceptions.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:10pm
3/4 of Afghans are illiterate. Elections are the perfect ruse to take advantage of the illiterate and gullible. Ghani knows this and that’s why he wants them.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:33pm
@Saif Zulfiqar, "Talibans should be destroyed forever." The US couldn't do it after spending trillions of dollars and 20 years, who do you want to give this task now? India?
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Mar 25, 2021 12:40pm
Ghani and his government, the oppositions days are numbered that is the scenario ..these people and their lame afghan forces
can't resist the talibans for 10 days and they propose a deal..
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Mar 25, 2021 12:44pm
Not elections but an immediate withdrawal of all attacking, invading, occupying, holding, abusing and annexing foreign forces from the soil of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is the best way out towards a lasting peace and tranquility in the country.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:56pm
KABUL: The Taliban on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold elections later this year, after months of peace talks between the two warring sides have made little progress.
Mayor of Kabul has his pane ticket ready for flight back home to his country, USA, California.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:56pm
@Parsa,
There were international monitoring teams in Pakistan in the last elections. They declared the elections to be fair. Please talk facts for a change.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:58pm
@SAN , Taliban will never go for election they know they will never win because Afgan people never vote for them.
If Taliban did not have support, they would not have survived and control 80% of Afghanistan. Taliban are smart enough to know how elections are used by foreign countries to manipulate results.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:59pm
@Jansheed, They know they won't even get 1% vote :)
But they only have control and support of 80% of Afghanistan.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:00pm
@Rana Talukdar, Taliban thugs know, in a clean democratic election they can't win. They have been making themselves relevant by brutal suppression, intimidation and violence. They have no popular vote base and absolutely not among women.
First have a free and fair election in IOK. Practise what you preach and without 'false flag pulawamas'.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:04pm
@Parsa, @Fastrack,
Did Imran Khan get elected or selected? Perhaps, you should get Pakistani observers to monitor the next election in India and Afghanistan, because elections in Pakistan are free and fair.
How did Arnab Goswami the Modi front man in media, know of pulwama murder of 40 dalit Indian soldiers 3 days before it happened. Modi is 'selected' on blood of the poor Indians.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:06pm
@Parsa, Your country India has regressed by leaps and bounds, you are even further back then Afghanistan and Congo.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:12pm
@Saif Zulfiqar, Talibans should be destroyed forever.
They are the destroyers of the following Super powers ;
The armies of the The British Empire in 3 wars.
The Soviet union in 10 year war.
The US in 20 year war.
Maybe India wants to try but remember they have a mountain range called 'The Hindu Kush'.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:13pm
KABUL: The Taliban on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold elections'
Well, that's the end of that. Next.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:58pm
Taliban wants power without elections.
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Mar 25, 2021 03:24pm
Most negative comments are from non Pakistani citizen. Most likely from India. Taliban will be just better than the Ghani’s government. Sincerely
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