PESHAWAR, June 14: Afghanistan needs peace and harmony so that a constitution could be framed and implemented in the war-battered country.
This was the gist of the views expressed by the speakers at a two-day seminar entitled “Role of Intellectuals in Afghan Constitution” organized here on Saturday by the Afghanistan desk of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
The speakers were of the view that the efforts of the Afghan Constitution Drafting Commission — a body entrusted with the task of drafting a new constitution by the Karzai government — would yield no fruit, because even if it prepared a constitution, it would be difficult for the government to implement it in present circumstances.
They also maintained that the country which was presently being run under the 1964 constitution drafted during the era of King Zahir Shah, should function under the same law till peace returned to Afghanistan.
The 1964 constitution was drafted by a team of Islamic scholars and constitutional experts of international repute in line with local culture and traditions and could serve the purpose till a new constitution was drafted.
“As there is no peace in the country, different provinces and districts are ruled by war-lords and local commanders who are so strong that even the central government in Kabul is unable to control them,” said a speaker.
According to him, for the implementation of a constitution it was necessary that the country should have a viable police force which work under a strong central government.
The commission did not have the support of the people, because most of the Afghans were scattered all over the world and were unable to furnish their suggestions with regard to drafting of the new constitution, said another speaker.
The speakers proposed that the idea of drafting new constitution should be abandoned at this stage, because the Afghan people would later raise accusing fingers at the members of the commission for being left out of the constitution-making process.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Mohammad Asif Nang, Hilamand Ghaznavi, Miangul Arwal, Abdul Haq and others. The seminar would continue on Sunday.