Tuesday June 20, 2017
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met with members of the civil society associations here the other day and listened to their problems and demands in line with the country’s security, social, economic and political situation, a statement from the presidential press office said yesterday.
According to the statement, at the outset, Amina Mayar, Sayed Akram Afzali, Mohammad Dalili, and Abdullah Ahmadi representing others extended condolences over the recent terrorist attacks, thanking the president for giving them the chance to share their opinions.
The speakers considered the civil society associations as bridge between the government and people, adding most of the said associations’ members voted for President Ghani, aiming to end the traditional way of governance and to establish new government based on current era standards, the statement added.
They also called for adopting practical measures in fight against corruption, law-breaking, ethnic discrimination and anarchism. They also said the civil society asked the protestors to remove their tents, asking the government to step up and remove the barriers before the people. Pointing to Kabul problems as the country-wide ones, Sayed Akram Afzali said the people’s demands had increased and there were no one to address them. He asked the president to increase civil society organization’s observing role from the government activities. Hinting to civil society organization’s financial problems, Afzali asked the president to pay attention to such problems, as according to him there would be no democracy sans people’s active participation. Another speaker Abdullah Ahmadi asked the government to clearly brief the people on May 31st deadly attack, asking for punishment of those targeting the protestors as well as those protestors carrying weapons with themselves, the statement further added.
Thanking the participants for the speeches and demands, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said Afghanistan was experiencing 40 years of continued war which is not yet finished, and still facing many other challenges. He said if people did not comprehend the previous problems, would never tolerate the ongoing ones. “When I was the rector of Kabul University, students and lecturers’ demands were to build wall around the university. I did it within four months, but people made fun of that, saying the university was turn to be Guantanamo. Some would make fun of my works, but I am sure one day the people pray for me,” the president told the participants. The president went on saying that he has met with almost three thousands of people from different segments of the society in the last 10 days, adding the meeting would be continued and a comprehensive security plan would be announced in a gathering of two to four thousands of people in the coming days.
“When I became the president, did you imagine if Torkham was blocked the people in Kabul would find a loaf of bread? I have worked on relations with Central Asian countries for almost two years. Closure of Torkham didn’t affect our people which clearly shows our economic independency,” the president noted. Pointing to the issue that there is only one ethnic group ruling the country, the president asked the participant to see the country’s embassies, consulates, ministries and independent organs that who have been appointed. He stressed for balance in government affairs.
The president insisted on balanced development, saying Kabul’s southern districts were neglected the same as districts in Paktika. He also said some of the Kabul’s main roads remained none asphalted. He also asked that the political culture must become a culture of patriotism and services. The president concluding his remarks asked the civil society organizations not to be dependent to foreign aids and try to do their job voluntarily for the sake of their country and support the government when taking steps against the powerful individuals.
