Celebrating National Resilience and Advancing Peaceful Progress in Afghanistan

Speech at the Commemoration of the 29th Anniversary of the Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Keypoints:

• Jihad Pride: Afghanistan’s victory was built on faith, unity, and perseverance.
• National Unity: All ethnic and political groups must act in consensus.
• Justice & Accountability: Uphold the constitution and law without bias.
• Peace Commitment: Pursue political solutions and end legacy conflicts.
• Transparent Elections: Citizens must engage in fair and monitored processes.
• Security & Defense: Honor sacrifices of armed forces and protect civilians.
• Refugee Return: Facilitate safe and dignified return of Afghan migrants.
• Economic Independence: Focus on self-reliance and long-term development.
• International Cooperation: Partner with global actors for mutual interests.
• Youth & Future: Empower the next generation for sustainable peace.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

“إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا یُغَیِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ یُغَیِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ”

(Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.) (Ar-Ra'd: 11)

Excellencies, Ustad Danish, respected Dr. Abdullah, respected Hekmatyar, Jihadi leaders, esteemed members of Parliament, tribal elders, dear sisters, honorable members of the Cabinet, all attendees of this gathering, and dear compatriots! Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.

The Unique Character and Success of the Afghan Jihad

The characteristic of the Afghan Jihad was such that neither the enemy nor our partners expected its success. The people of Afghanistan brought this Jihad to victory, and the pride belongs to the people of Afghanistan. Look at all the commentators of that time—did any of them believe this was possible? Yet, the people of Afghanistan, relying on the holy religion of Islam, the guidance of the Holy Quran, and the luminous Sharia of Muhammad (PBUH), made their faith victorious.

Once again, I congratulate the entire nation on this honor. It is clear where the root of our strength lies: in faith, unity, focus, and the belief that we can—contrary to expectations—make the seemingly impossible possible. Furthermore, this day does not belong only to us; it belongs to the Islamic world. No other country in the contemporary history of Islam has sacrificed as much for Islam as the nation of Afghanistan. Therefore, no one can lecture us on Islam, nor can they make such claims against us. If anyone has sacrificed even one percent of what we have, let them come, sit with us, and tell us they are in a position to teach us.

Our esteemed Ulema and Mujahideen can enter any field of debate with anyone who claims that the Constitution of Afghanistan is not Islamic or that the leadership of the Government of National Unity lacks faith—whether in a debate or before our Supreme Court. It is vital for us to know that on that day, we changed the contemporary history of Islam.

The Global Impact of the Afghan Victory

Thirdly, this day also belongs to the world. The world was included in our pride. Until that day, did people believe in historical determinism or not? Millions of youth, especially in Asia, used to chant that "Asia is Red." The "redness" of Asia ended in the world. From a historical perspective, the Jihad of the Afghan people holds a prestige that no subsequent mistake can diminish. This is our national and historical pride; this nation should take pride in it forever. I hope there remains a genuine consensus here; anyone who leaves this consensus leaves behind their "Afghaniat" and "Islamiyat," and there is no place for them.

The Palace as a Center for National Dialogue and Tolerance

I wish to express my gratitude to all the speakers today. Today, the Arg (Presidential Palace) is a place of tolerance and national discussion. The tolerance that you, Hekmatyar Sahib, requested—I hope to see it today in your presence, in your visit, and in your speech, as well as in the words of Dr. Sahib, Ustad Danish, and Muslimyar Sahib. We have found this tolerance to discuss our national issues, not to refresh old sorrows, but to find their solutions. Afghanistan is no one's monopoly. Afghanistan belongs to the entire nation, and the fundamental issue of the power structure has been resolved by the Constitution, by the grace of Allah.

Just as it was decided twice in the past, in the future, the people of Afghanistan will judge who they deem worthy of service. In this regard, on behalf of the Government of National Unity, I call upon all political strata to come and help us ensure transparent elections. My hand, the hand of Dr. Sahib, and the hand of Ustad Danish are extended to you. Come and place all stages under your inspection. One whose account is clean has no fear of the calculation. We believe in transparent, effective, and timely elections. My request to all attendees, the politicians of the country, and all compatriots is to begin the work of supervising the preparation, arrangement, and organization of the presidential elections from this very day. No one here seeks the continuation of power, nor would the nation allow it; thus, we must have clarity on where we are going.

The Resilience of the National Defense and Security Forces

In this section, I specifically want to thank the security and defense forces of the country and all the people of Afghanistan. Just as people did not believe the Afghan Jihad would succeed back then, when the security transition ended and the Government of National Unity was formed, people imagined that the Afghan security and defense forces would not be able to resist or defend. I am proud of you, and the nation of Afghanistan is proud of you. Your sacrifice in every trench of this country, and your commitment to your proud flag and your Constitution, is a source of pride for the entire nation.

Our National Police have made unprecedented sacrifices in the fight against terrorism to save the lives of innocent Afghans. Clearly, we have problems—problems we inherited—but where does the solution lie? Barmak Sahib [Acting Minister of Interior], I congratulate you and the people of Kabul on your courageous action yesterday. People must understand that based on competence, and with consideration for our national unity and social composition, everyone who is committed to this soil can find their place. However, our special thanks go to the families of the martyrs of the Jihad whom we always remember, though unfortunately, we have not yet provided the effective conditions and welfare to fulfill our national commitment to them. It is hoped that within the next 24 months, we achieve our goal for all Afghan refugees in Pakistan to return to the embrace of their own country. We want to change all our priorities to ensure the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

We do not want any excuses to remain for others to say "your refugees are doing this or that." The refugees are not doing those things. We must gird our loins and finish this matter, and after that, God willing, we will reach a conclusion with Iran as well. This nation is the one that won the Jihad. Haji Sahib Almas, Haji Din Mohammad—you all know hundreds of people who are remembered by no one today. Who remembers Abdul Rahman Jan? Yet he performed great deeds. You are experts in these great deeds yourselves, and we take pride in them.

Afghanistan's Identity as an Independent Nation and State

My second point is that Afghanistan earned its right to be a nation in the trenches of Jihad. No one gifted us the right to be a nation. We are not the result of some international agreement that says "this is a nation." We made ourselves a nation and we are proud of it. This nation has strength. It has three thousand years of history. Let no one tell us that we have a problem as a nation or that we have no future. By the grace of Allah, everyone has realized this; anyone who comes from abroad now says this is a strong nation. Yes! our problem is this: we won the right that we must also be a state. Afghanistan cannot rely on another, be tied to another, or be a puppet of another power. This is an independent state and it stands as an independent state!

Anyone who does not recognize us as an independent state is, in truth, committing treachery against us, and we do not accept treachery. But what is our goal? Our goal is to be in unity and harmony with the entire region and the world. For this reason, I thank our international partners who learned a lesson from our first experience. After the Jihad, we were forgotten by the world, but after September 11, we have not been forgotten, and this is a strength. It is hoped that this will be used to the maximum for the benefit of the world and our own benefit.

Do not forget that the people of Afghanistan did not only sacrifice lives; our financial sacrifice during the years of Jihad was estimated by the World Bank at 240 billion dollars. Villages are still destroyed; they are still in a bad state; mines still lie in front of houses. Resolving all of this is necessary and obligatory upon us. Whether history is written by historians or by the contemporary populace, my request at this stage and juncture of history is that we focus on building the future.

Focusing on Unity, Economic Independence, and Peace

Our elders can analyze mistakes and our people can analyze achievements; the essential point is that we focus all our energy, with complete unity, on earning the economic independence of Afghanistan and bringing the conditions for peace, welfare, and lasting security. I agree. We want a political solution, and in the second Kabul Process Conference ahead of us, the Government of National Unity will present its peace plan. But the nation must also ask: are those who do not want peace doing so because of interests, dependencies, and affiliations, or because they have grievances? Whatever the problem may be, this nation is ready to solve it. Six hundred Ulema came and issued a resolution. I truly thank the High Peace Council and all colleagues; in the peace resolution, it is clear that peace is a divine command, a religious obligation, and a national necessity—a peace that is not a prelude to a severe regional war. Therefore, it is necessary that we take a commitment for peace, and we are ready for that commitment. I hope the conditions are met, and we will discuss this further at the Kabul Conference, God willing.

Our basic obligation is to end the inherited crises of forty and a hundred years. To a large extent, we may have made mistakes, but we did not create these crises; they were left to us as an inheritance. I hope that we have exercised the patience, endurance, and simultaneously the decisiveness that was necessary—as much as was humanly possible—to provide this ground and pave the way for transparent elections. If there is any other alternative to the Government of National Unity, please say so; if there is no alternative and we want to have the tradition of political power transfer based on the people's free vote, then we must all gather together. Why? Because we are in a situation today where it is hoped that the 40-year dreams of the Afghan people regarding foreign policy, national authority, and our freedom can be realized. At this stage, focus is required. Movement has begun, but it is not yet comprehensive enough. Continued persistence is essential for us to achieve and implement our national dreams; time cannot stand still.

The Necessity of Decisive Action and Governance

If we want to move forward and solve the problems of our people, it is necessary to make decisions. Consultation is respected and vital, but it cannot be that we fail to take decisions. Decisions must be made. Elections require decisions; the economy requires decisions; water requires decisions; the return of refugees requires decisions. All major issues must come into a framework where consultations take place, but the decision must be clear. We must make decisions. One of our great mistakes was thinking that time is static. If we do not move forward, God forbid, we will move backward. It is necessary, as Dr. Sahib said, that matters are handled with wisdom and organization and then implemented.

As Ustad Danish said, our greatest national document is the Constitution, and the values of the Constitution are Jihadi values. All the values of the Afghan Jihad have been incorporated into the Constitution. This law has taken into account all the principles of the holy religion of Islam; therefore, its implementation is our obligation, and God willing, this will be done.

Shared Interests with the International Community

We share common interests with the international community, and we also face common threats. This is neither charity from their side nor begging from ours. It is based on fundamental interests. I am very grateful that our interests have come within the framework of logic and that we have created an atmosphere of trust with one another. This atmosphere of trust is necessary because the war currently in Afghanistan is not an internal war. There are twenty international terrorist groups and the intervention of others. Therefore, without building ourselves and coordinating with the world, this cannot reach a conclusion. I hope that the work we have done with the region and others will reach a conclusion, and God willing, through unity, we will reach that conclusion.

Final Word on National Unity and Equality

Our final and essential point is, clearly, the necessity of national unity. Its basis is that the Constitution considers every Afghan equal to every other Afghan. We must provide this ground. This is the demand of everyone and the command of the Constitution; God willing, it will be implemented within the framework of the rule of law. Once again, I congratulate the entire nation of Afghanistan, the Islamic world, and the international community on this great day and this historical achievement.

I hope our youth, sisters, and brothers do not think that history only arrived in the last ten, twenty, or thirty years. It is necessary that our people find their most basic and fundamental roots in our faith, our religion, and our national unity. God willing, with that understanding, in unity, and within the framework of an organized program, we will be able to preserve our honors and not repeat bitter experiences. God willing, this is achievable.