Afghan Presidential Contenders

Malali Bashir
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Following is the list of those who formally announced to compete in the race for President in the Afghan Presidential Elections 2009.

1. Dr. Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi (Afghan Millat)
2. Abdul Qader Imami Ghori (Hezb-e-Islami then Jamiat-e-Islami and now Independent)
3. Ramazan Bashardos (Independent)
4. Fawzia Kofi (Jamiat-e-Islami and now Independent)
5. Abdul Jabbar Sabet (Hezb-e-Islami and now Independent)
6. Daud Sultanzoi (Hezb-e-Islami)
7. Ali Seraaj (Royal Family, Independent)
8. Sayed Jalal Karim (NAABEGHA/The Genius) (Independent)
9. Shahlah Atta (Independent)

Following is the list of those who have showed their strong interest in the post, but yet to formally announce their candidacy.

1. Abdullah Abdullah (Shura-e-Nezar)
2. Burhanuddin Rabbani (Jamiat-e-Islami)
3. Halim Tanveer (Independent)
4. Bashir Beezhan (National Congress)
5. Ali Ahmad Jalali (Independent)
6. Hedayat Amin Arsala (Independent)
7. Sayed Ahmad Gillani (National Islamic Front)
8. Hanif Atmar (Independent)
9. Younus Qanooni (Shura-e-Nezaar)
10. Farooq Hamidi (Independent)
11. Shahnawaz Tannay (PDP)
12. Gul Agha Sherzai (Independent)
13. Ahmad Zia Massoud (Shura-e-Nezaar)
14. Mustafa Zaher ( Royal Family and Independent)
15. Dr. Ashraf Ghani (Independent)
16. Mirwais Yasini (Independent)
17. Hamid Karzai (Independent)

I will keep posting on potential candidates, and their affiliations, ability of the job and the possibility of becoming our next president. Keep visiting AfghCorner.

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Karzai is loving it!

Afghan president Hamid Karzai is loving it. No, not the McDonalds but his post. After his “according to Afghan constitution” decision to hold the presidential election in April, he now accepts that Afghan presidential election should be postponed from to August. However, he won’t step down at the end of his term-May 21st.

BBC quoted him saying, “As long as there is no election, the president will stay in office.” His opponents think otherwise. They believe there should be an interim government.

Afghanistan’s history shows that most Afghan presidents never wanted to leave their post. In fact, Afghan presidents rarely transmit the power. I do not understand why they fall in love with the presidential palace that they never want to exit. Is it fun to rule a country full of mess? Or is there glue on that chair that no one wanted to leave it once they held?

The funniest was when Burahnuddin Rabbani, head of Northern Alliance’s warlords, was famous for taking his presidential chair to wherever he went. He held on to it even after Taliban took over Kabul and 95% of Afghan land.

I do not know why Karzai’s rivals not letting him rule for another five months. I have doubts about their rivalry to our president because if they are really anti-Karzai, they should let him stay in the mess for as long as he wants. I remember of a crazy old woman in our village who would curse people saying, “Be the king of Kabul!”

Talks Between Afghan Officials and Gulbaddin Hikmatyar

“As the Afghan foreign minister meets his US counterpart in Washington, Al-Jazeera has learnt of secret talks between Taliban-linked mediators and Afghan officials, which could lead to wider negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The deal involves the return to Afghanistan of Gulbadin Hekmatyar, the former prime minister, whose forces fight alongside the Taliban. It involves a complex and delicate round of meetings from the heart of Afghanistan to Dubai, London and Saudi Arabia.” Watch the whole story at the buttom of the page.

I think Taliban, Gulbadin Hikmatyar and all the neglected trouble making groups should be given a chance to participate in political procedures. Hikmatyar’s Hizbe-Islami, one of the dominant Jihadi groups during Afghan-Soviet war, has an immense amount of support among Afghan population. There are no Taliban in Kapisa, Konar, Herat, Farah, Nuristan and Nimroz provinces but these are the Hizbe-Islami fighters who are emerging threat to Afghan, NATO/ISAF and Coalition forces. If Hikmatyar joins the political process it will not only have long term benefits but will put an end to this.

Currently, warlords are majority in Afghan parliament and enjoy brawny power in the government. The questions is if these warlords, who has the same views as Taliban and were the counterparts of Hikmatyar and Mullah Omar-Taliban supreme leader, can be a part of the government why not the Taliban?

An old Afghan proverb says; “Only dialogues (not weapons) solve problems.” I am sure these insurgents will lay down their weapons and join the political process if dealt with care. We have a good experience of having Taliban’s high ranking officials in parliament. They are not sabotaging any democratic process, US agenda or Afghan government. I believe the rest of the Taliban and other factions also deserve a chance for the greater good of our beloved country.

Here is Al-Jazeera's report: