Elders, youth in southeast share hopes for clerics’ gatheringl
The Islamic Emirate said the government feels obliged to listen to the advice of the Islamic clerics at the national gathering being held in Kabul.
Addressing a press conference in Kabul, Islamic Emirate Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hibatullah, “may” participate in the gathering of the Islamic clerics.
“We will hear their voices and as they are participating in this major gathering, they will surely have their opinions and resolutions listened to and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan feels an obligation towards their views,” he said.
The gathering was held because clerics called for it, so the agenda of the talks also belongs to the participants, said Zabiullah Mujahid, Islamic Emirate spokesperson, speaking to reporters.
He said more than 1,200 forces of the Islamic Emirate have been appointed to provide security for the gathering. “It has yet to be clarified but it is possible that (he) may participate. We don’t have information about (his) participation,” Mujahid said when asked about the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate’s participation in the gathering.
“From across Afghanistan, from 34 provinces, from each district two clerics and one tribal elder and from each police district two tribal elders and one cleric have been invited to the gathering,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
The gathering of Islamic clerics will be held for three days and women are not invited to the gathering.
Meanwhile, some elders and young people from the southeast provinces of the country asked that attendees of the “Gathering of Islamic Clerics” discuss topic such as forming an inclusive government, the reopening of girls’ schools above 6th grade and finding a basic solution for the economic problems of the people.
Residents of the provinces of Logar, Paktia, Khost, and Paktika contributed to the significance of the gathering by stating that the government should listen to the voices of the people and respect their rights.
“Our current problems should be resolved and a vertical roadmap should remain for the future of Afghanistan,” said Sarwar Ahmadzai, an elder of a tribe in Logar province.
“These gatherings are crucial for Afghanistan if they are done honestly and the wishes of the people are respected,” said Lawanng Arman, a resident of Khost.
According to the citizens, the current economic crisis affects the majority of people, and this gathering must find a reasonable solution for it.
“An inclusive government should be formed in Afghanistan that is acceptable to the international community and has excellent connections with them,” said Adam Khan, a Paktia tribal elder.
Residents of the southeastern provinces say that the education of girls is important and asked the Islamic Emirate to reopen girls’ schools as soon as possible.
“A decisive decision should be taken in order to reopen girls’ schools and we urge the government to bring the country out of the current situation,” said Sayed Jamal Asifkhail, a civil society activist in Paktia.
Residents in the country’s southeast expect positive outcomes for Afghanistan’s future from the gathering of Islamic Clerics that took place at the Loya Jirga Hall on Thursday.—Tolonews
