Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a peace treaty with a notorious warlord yesterday, pledging to lobby the US and the United Nations to remove him and his party from terrorist blacklists
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signs a peace agreement at the presidential palace in Kabul, while Hekmatyar signed it via a live videoconference that was also televised. Pic/AP
Kabul: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a peace treaty with a notorious warlord yesterday, pledging to lobby the US and the United Nations to remove him and his party from terrorist blacklists.
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Gulbuddin Hekmatyar signed the agreement via a video link into Kabul’s presidential palace. The ceremony was broadcast live on television. It is the first peace treaty the Afghan government has completed since the war with the Taliban began in 2001.
Once international sanctions are lifted, Hekmatyar is expected to return to Afghanistan after 20 years in exile. He is believed to be in Pakistan.
Ghani, who has said the deal should be an example to the Taliban, said that “now is the time for the Taliban to decide whether they want to continue the war, or participate in peace talks.” The Taliban did not immediately comment on the agreement.
Hekmatyar’s party is listed by the UN as a foreign terrorist organization and Hekmatyar was designated by the US as a “global terrorist” in 2003. The 25-point peace agreement gives Hekmatyar and his followers immunity for past actions, and grants them full political rights.
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