Ghani сalls on European Council for more observes in election process

President Ashraf Ghani has called on the Council of European Union for more observers to ensure the transparency in the upcoming election process.

President Ghani in his second day of visit from Brussels has met with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and urged him for more cooperation in Afghan electoral process.

In the meantime, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) praised the presence of more international and internal observers for the transparency of election process.

However, the Hezb-e Islami criticized fraud, widespread corruption and lack of management in the election process.

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Government releases over 190 Hezb-e-Islami prisoners

The Afghan government on Thursday released more than 190 Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) members that had been imprisoned in Pul-e-Charkhi and Bagram prisons, officials confirmed.

The prisoners were released in accordance with the peace agreement between the government and Hizb-e-Islami last year.

Col. Shah Mir Ahmad Por, prison communication in-charge, said the inmates were released, following the presidential order, adding that cases of other HIA prisoners will be also reviewed in next few days.

Meanwhile, Nasrullah Safari, head of the joint commission on government-HIA peace agreement said that freed inmates had been imprisoned for their involvement in internal and external security issues.

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Taliban Leader ‘Approved’ Islamabad Meeting on Peace Talks

delegation approved by the Taliban’s leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada visited Islamabad this week for exploratory talks on restarting peace negotiations to end the 16-year war in the country, two senior officials in the movement told Reuters.

The three-member Taliban delegation from Qatar included Shababuddin Dilawar and Jan Mohammad Madani from the Taliban’s political office in Qatari capital as well as the brother-in-law of Mullah Jacoob, son of the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, the sources said told Reuters.

They met representatives of Afghan politician Syed Hamid Gilani, Chairman of Mahaz-e-Milli Party, a senior aide to Gilani confirmed on condition of anonymity, it said. Gilani’s office did not respond to queries.

The Taliban’s Haqqani network last week released 14 Afghan army soldiers in the eastern province of Paktia as a goodwill gesture ahead of the talks, according to both the Taliban officials and the aide to Gilani, the report said.

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Hekmatyar concerned as several Hezb-e-Islami members arrested

The leader of Hezb-e-Islami has expressed concerns regarding the arrest of a number of Hezb-e-Islami members.

Hekmatyar informed regarding the arrest of the party’s members during a meeting with the local tribal elders of southeastern Paktia province.

He said some special circles have started to arrest some of the members of Hezb-e-Islami during the recent days but the party continuous to practice restraint.

The leader of Hezb-e-Islami did not disclose further information regarding the main reason behind the apprehension of the party’s members and where they were arrested.

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Hekmatyar reacts at Noor, Dostum, and Mohaqiq’s coalition

The leader of Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin in his reaction regarding the formation of the new coalition has said that his party will support any move or step that strengthens the current system.

However, he has warned that his party together with the support of the people will stand against any such moves and steps to be taken to weaken the government and system.

Hekmatyar made the remarks in a statement released by his party after a new coalition was formed between Jamiat-e-Islami led by Salahuddin Rabbani and Ata Mohammad Noor, Junbish Millie led by First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum and Wahdat Islami led by deputy chief executive Mohammad Mohaqiq.

The statement further added that all political parties and movements should join hands and unite their force to support the government and take the country out of the ongoing crisis.

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