Dr. Ashraf Ghani

Speech at the Peace Agreement Ceremony with Hezb-e-Islami and the arrival of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar

Keypoints:

Peace Commitment: Government and Hezb-e-Islami showed real intent for peace.
Good Faith & Trust: Mutual sincerity enabled dialogue and progress.
Accurate Judgment: Understanding society and history ensured success.
Strong Will: Both sides stayed determined to achieve Afghan goals.
National & Islamic Values: Agreement honors Constitution and commitments.
Intra-Afghan Dialogue: Afghan-led talks show discussion can replace violence.
Shared Responsibility: Building peace and nation is everyone’s duty.
Acknowledging Sacrifices: Past struggles guide today’s peace efforts.
Call to Armed Opponents: Opposition urged to join dialogue, not fight.
Election Integrity: Law, transparency, and oversight secure democracy.
Peace as Divine Command: Peace is a moral and religious duty; war condemned.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Honorable audience! Excellencies Karzai Sahib, Dr. Sahib Abdullah, Ustaz Danish, the very respected and esteemed Jihadi personality and leader of Hezb-i-Islami, Engineer Sahib, the foundation of the nation Ustaz Sayyaf, Ustaz Khalili, Mr. Qanooni, Agha Sahib, all Jihadi leaders, the respected leaders of the Shura Mr. Ibrahimi and Mr. Muslimyar, members of the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, the Attorney General’s Office, the respected members of the National Assembly, sisters and brothers, peace be upon you all and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

First, I welcome all of you honorable attendees and likewise the respected Hekmatyar Sahib, the leader of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan, and I am pleased that we have gathered in this auspicious assembly of peace and brotherhood.

The Shift from Mourning to Hope

Last week, we sat on the carpet of grief in the Arg; we held the fateha for the martyrs of the 209th Shaheen Corps. But today, Alhamdullilah, we are present in a gathering where the people and friends of Afghanistan express happiness, and the enemies of Afghanistan are sorrowful.

We had promised the great nation of Afghanistan that we would provide the ground for the realization of peace. Today, a very large step has been taken in this direction, and we will continue this path until the realization of full peace in the country.

Overcoming Skepticism and the Power of Will

When the Government and Hezb-i-Islami began peace talks, the number of those who believed in the success of these talks was far fewer than those who considered these efforts doomed to failure. Even a few months ago, on the day when the peace agreement with Hezb-i-Islami was being signed right here in Salam Khana, there were those who found its realization difficult and showed doubt in its fruition. But today, it has become clear to everyone that whenever the will for peace and sincerity for the homeland exists on both sides, ending hostilities and concluding disputes can be an attainable and achievable wish.

The Three Pillars of Successful Negotiation

The basic question is: how did we reach this stage and what are the prerequisites for bringing peace negotiations to fruition?

The First Element: Righteous Intention. According to the instructions of the holy religion of Islam, to perform any good and desirable act, having a good intention is necessary. Intention is the first element of performing a righteous matter. The government and Hezb-i-Islami showed through their actions that they have the good intention and the necessary will for peace. The goodwill of both sides provided the ground for trust and the beginning of talks.
The Second Element: Accurate and Realistic Judgment. The parties must be able to well understand the changes in the environment and the demands of society and the era. They must have an accurate calculation of the existing conditions of the country and the world. Today’s country has changed from the past two decades; today's generation has different demands and seeks from us the message of peace and law-centeredness. If the negotiating parties did not have correct judgment, we could not have achieved this important stage. I express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart to Hekmatyar Sahib for his historical judgment.
The Third Element: Firm Will. The government and Hezb-i-Islami proved through constructive intra-Afghan peace talks over recent months that they have a strong will to realize the aspirations of the people of Afghanistan. Thank you again. Most importantly, the limits and foundation of this agreement were determined and built by national and Islamic values, specifically the Constitution of the country, which embodies all these values including our international commitments.

The Culture of Dialogue vs. The Culture of Violence

The government and Hezb-i-Islami, through the intra-Afghan peace approach, proved that Afghans can achieve peace inside the capital of the country with a spirit of tolerance and preference for the culture of dialogue over the culture of war and violence. By correctly understanding the situation, we strive so that the bitter experiences of the past are not repeated, and the atmosphere of peace and tranquility—the long-standing hope of the Afghan people—is realized. I am confident that by the blessing of tolerance, patience, and loyalty to the high national interests, all articles of the agreement with Hezb-i-Islami will be realized one by one, Inshallah, within the framework of the country's interests and the Constitution.

Gratitude for National Consensus

I thank the Mujahid brother Hekmatyar Sahib and Hezb-i-Islami for saying "Labbaik" to the call for peace, agreeing to intra-Afghan negotiations, and taking an active and fundamental part in the success of these negotiations. Likewise, I thank the High Peace Council, Jihadi leaders, religious scholars, civil society, the National Assembly, the press, and the entire nation for their firm support. If one seeks national consensus, this was national consensus and we take pride in it.

I wish that today the Martyr of Peace, Ustaz Burhanuddin Rabbani, and the reformist personality Pir Syed Ahmad Gailani were beside us to see the fruit of their efforts. I ask all colleagues of Jamiat-e-Islami to pray for the martyr Ustaz Rabbani. I also thank the national leader Mr. Karzai and Hazrat Sahib Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, who made great efforts on the path of peace; I congratulate you, Mr. President.

I also sincerely thank Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the Second Vice President Ustaz Danish, the National Security Advisor Mr. Atmar, the members of the Hezb-i-Islami negotiating delegation—Dr. Ghairat Baheer and Engineer Amin Karim—for if it were not for their goodwill and precise judgment, this success would not have been our lot. I also thank Dr. Khpalwak and the international community for supporting the most fundamental demand of Afghans: peace.

Instructions for Implementation

I express my appreciation to the Joint Executive Commission for the implementation of peace. I expect the respected members of the commission, Haji Din Mohammad and all colleagues, to pay full attention to the implementation of the remaining clauses. I request and direct all relevant state institutions to fulfill their duties regarding the agreement. From Hezb-i-Islami, I respectfully expect that Engineer Sahib gives directions to cooperate with the joint commission for full implementation.

The Global Nature of the Conflict

Just as the sacrifices of Afghans in the 1980s opened the way for the collapse of tyranny in many countries of the region and the world, now too, the sacrifices of our defense and security forces are helping save the world from the evil of terrorism. We are on the front line of the war against terrorism. The war ongoing in Afghanistan is not an internal war. It is a war imposed upon Afghans.

I call upon the states of the region to foster relations with elected and legitimate states, not with terrorist circles. Terrorism is not a domestic animal that will show mercy to its owner. Cultivating a relationship with one terrorist group to be saved from another is a great mistake with very bad consequences.

The Path to Authority through Elections

Our gathering today proves once again that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has a strong commitment to achieving peace. Our people want politics to replace war. Respect for freedom of expression and the tolerance of differing views are necessary conditions for a law-abiding political atmosphere. Our discourse must lead to trust, not confrontation.

Access to authority through elections is the most important principle of our current political life. As President, I pledge that transparent elections will be held. For the transparency of the elections, I seek the views of all personalities and activists, including Hekmatyar Sahib.

The Ultimate Goal and the Call to the Taliban

Our final goal is clear. We have not stepped onto an unknown or aimless path. We seek peace within the framework of Islamic, national, and human values expressed in our Constitution. We are ready to pay any price for peace that our nation is willing to pay. However, peace at a price not acceptable to the nation or in contradiction with our Constitution will not be stable; rather, it would lead to another war.

In the peace discussion, two points must be noted: first, the war imposed on Afghanistan, and second, the war in the field of Afghanistan. Terrorist groups for whom Afghanistan is a tool and a jumping-off point have imposed war on us; they are the enemies of this soil. But groups that are dissatisfied for certain reasons and consider themselves of Afghanistan can be negotiated with.

I call upon the Taliban: Do you have a capacity like Mr. Hekmatyar to negotiate with the people and government? Who is your leader and where is he? Other than war and destruction, what plan do you have for this nation? Have you written a book? If you truly have a leader and have the intention and will for the welfare of this country, show it to the people and the government, end the war, and respond to the call of Hekmatyar Sahib.

The Illegitimacy of War in Sharia

All valid centers of fatwa and religious authorities of the Islamic world consider the war in Afghanistan haram (forbidden). Our scholars are ready to defend this righteous claim anywhere in the world and debate those who think there is a justification for their war. We know they lack the ability to debate our great Jihadi personalities and scholars; they flee from scholars because their argument is weak, like a spider's web—which the Quran describes as the flimsiest of houses.

Every resident of Afghanistan wants to earn a halal living and send their children to school with a peaceful heart. Can these goals be reached through war or through peace? I again call on all armed opponents: do not oppose peace, for peace is the command of Allah and war is not the solution. It is necessary for the armed opponents to follow in the great footsteps of Hezb-i-Islami. If they do not want peace, their end is clear: isolation and failure in this world and the hereafter.

Conclusion

I believe that this caravan of peace will surely reach its final stage. I believe this because the people of Afghanistan want peace, the government is committed to peace, and peace is a divine command. I once again sincerely welcome the respected leader of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Search