HPC welcomes Hekmatyar’s remarks on Polls

KABUL: (MEP) – The High Peace Council has welcomed Hizb-e-Islami head Gulbadin Hekmatyar’s unprecedented statements on upcoming polls in the Afghanistan.

In a surprise move earlier this week, the Afghan warlord Gulbadin Hekmatyar, whose militant outfit Hizb-e-Islami is fighting US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan, asked the party members to take part in the elections.

This is the first time Hekmatyar has formally instructed his party leadership to convey to members inside Afghanistan to vote in the elections, scheduled for the first week of April 2014.

“Convey to Hizb-e-Islami members to take part in the provincial councils’ elections and support those candidates who are either related to us or have a positive view about the party,” Hekmatyar said in a letter addressed to members of the party’s councils in the country.

The Afghan Peace Council, who has been struggling to persuade armed oppositions to renounce violence, has welcomed Hekmatyar’s call on his party members to participate in the country’s important elections.

“In fact, this is the real way. This is the way for the armed oppositions to follow otherwise they will fall into the well,” said Muhammad Ismail Qasimyar, foreign relation’s advisor of HPC.

He also called on the Taliban to renounce violence and take broad part in the upcoming elections.