PESHAWAR, Feb 28: Restoration of a lasting peace and writ of the government are essential for initiating the reconstruction process in Afghanistan. The presence of warlords and fanatics in the interim government is detrimental to the national unity and peace in the country.

This was stated by speakers at a seminar organized by the Sungi Development Foundation on ‘Reconstruction of Afghanistan’ here on Thursday.

Ms Faheema, a women and children rights campaigner in the United States, Ateequllah Pajwak, Shah Mehmood Paiwastoon, Haji Rehman of Afghan Millat Party, Babrak Shinwari, Bushra Gohar and TV artiste Faryal Gohar spoke.

Ms Faheema, daughter of the late religious scholar Minhajuddin Gaheez, said that without national unity and a lasting peace reconstruction cannot be initiated. “We have to go for the reconstruction of society, political and economic institutions and the mode of governance to achieve cohesion at the national level,” she pointed out.

Only Afghans would initiate and complete this task as no other country, whether it was America or Pakistan, could do this, she said.

Welcoming a suggestion of deweaponization, she underlined the need for doing away with the war culture.

Shah Mehmood Paiwastoon, a colleague of the late Afghan president Dr Najibullah, in his paper on democracy and development, stressed on the setting up of national armed and police forces and added that the forces must be free of any political, religious or ethic affiliation.

At present, he said, old warlords were playing an influencing role. But in the changing scenario they should have no role to play. They were in the habit of blood-letting on one pretext or another. He observed that they were unaware of the statesmanship and “their departure is essential for peace”.

The country also needed an economic planning department which must utilize the foreign funds properly instead of allowing the “thieves” to get away with the dollars, he said.

He also suggested that a modern banking system should be established to facilitate traders and investors.

Babrak Shinwar said that a political environment was the need of the hour. At present, old Jihadi commanders were sitting in Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Paktia and Panjshir, while some other provinces were running separate governments in the tribal style. He asked the people to free themselves from the gun culture.

Bushra Gohar and Faryal Gohar demanded equal opportunities for the Afghan women in the future setup of the country.