Dr. Ashraf Ghani

Speech at the end of the National Consultative Peace Conference - Kabul

Keypoints:

Peace as a National Imperative – Prioritize peace over revenge.
Rule of Law – Legal authority as the foundation for stability.
National Unity – All Afghan communities as one nation.
Inclusive Representation – Women, youth, and ethnic groups involved.
Practical Peace Implementation – Agreements must be actionable.
Honoring Sacrifices – Remember martyrs and those affected by conflict.
Local Ownership – Afghans lead in identifying challenges and solutions.
Dialogue over Violence – Negotiation preferred to fighting.
Public Engagement – Grassroots awareness and advocacy.

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

والصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ ; this is not a mere request; it is a Divine Command.

Respected Ustadh Khalili, Dr. Sarabi, Qazi Sahib, Haji Din Mohammad, Respected Kashaf Sahib, all honorable members and deputies of the High Peace Council, the leadership of the High Peace Council, and all dear compatriots who have traveled from every corner of Afghanistan: First and foremost, I offer you the gift of the Leader of Humanity: As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

Khosh kilding! Khosh amadid! Kher raghlast! (Welcome!)

This house is yours. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for entrusting it to me for these few days. However, let no one forget that you are the owners of this house. This house belongs to the nation (Wulas); it does not belong to the powerful (Zorwako)!

Initially, I want to thank each of you for coming to the grief-stricken capital—a capital that is still in mourning—to visit your sisters and brothers, to offer prayers for our martyrs, and to seek healing for the wounded. But specifically, I thank you from the depths of my soul for your active participation in these comprehensive discussions, your highly constructive views, and your exceptionally noble resolution.

Observe the difference! You and I, in an atmosphere of freedom, without any form of censorship or coercion, are discussing the future of the nation and expressing the nation's pain and demands. The Arg (the Palace) is not a place of power; it is a place of service. Those who call themselves "powerful" should understand what Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (RA) said to them: Be broken! Do you remember my inaugural speech? My statement then was the statement of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (RA): "O Allah ﷻ, give me the strength to be at the service of the weak, and to break those who use force!" I have reflected deeply on this; I have thought long.

The Vision of National Rule of Law

The view regarding me has often been that I am "Umari" (stern/just), while Siddiq was more "Mula’im" (gentle). But this perspective is not personal; it is our national perspective. It is the message of all of you: that the Rule of Law in this land is the only path to salvation.

I went to each of you individually, and what did you whisper in my ear? Ninety percent of you said: "Implement the law. Our future is secure only in the implementation of the law." The commitment of Ustadh Khalili, Mr. Khelwak, and all members of the High Peace Council to you is that from the beginning until the very end—when the goal of peace is achieved—this process will be transparent.

Our sisters, in particular, should be assured that the rights of Afghan women will be secured within the framework of peace. Women’s representatives will participate directly in peace negotiations. Likewise, all strata and ethnic groups, all of whom are peace-loving, will have representation. Of course, not every negotiation is conducted on television, but the results will be presented transparently to the nation. In Afghanistan, nothing can happen in secret.

I specifically thank you for your conclusions—the Ulema, civil society, women, youth, and our Jihadist, tribal, and national elders—all of you, whose hearts and minds are in one place. Peace is a vital necessity for this country. Now, with strength, I can speak on your behalf: our nation has a complete consensus on establishing and achieving peace. I thank you for this consensus!

The Social Capital of Peace

I wish to express my gratitude to the leadership of the High Peace Council—Ustadh, all the elders, the Doctor, Aziz Sahib, and everyone one by one. I will not take more of your time, but you truly brought momentum. I thank you from my heart for your commitment, your energy, and your method of consultation.

This is a land of consultations (Mashworo); this is a land of Jirgas. Without consultation and without the Jirga, we cannot understand the pulse of the nation. I thank Qazi Sahib Waqad, who has always articulated this national pulse in words few others can utter; may God keep him healthy. Seeing you all in good spirits—Mawlawi Sahib, Pohanwal Sahib, Kashaf Sahib, and everyone—we shall implement this Divine Command.

Second Point: Forty years of blood, crisis, and hopelessness is enough. Our mission—yours and mine in this hall as citizens and officials—is to put a full stop to this crisis. The crisis is a legacy, but it is not natural. Why should we live in crisis? This is a question the nation must ask fundamentally, and the nation has reached a consensus. Those who think they can "catch fish in murky waters" should think again. The nation will not allow anyone to create further crisis. In this, tribal and Jihadist elders, sisters, youth, and all ethnic groups have a fundamental role.

One cannot easily earn the title of a tribal or Jihadist leader. Mawlawi Sahib, Pohanwal Sahib, Haji Sahib—we all know that the titles of Mishr, Aq-saqal, and Bey are not gained easily. They are the result of lifelong experience and constant testing. God forbid one should lose them in a single day. Therefore, in this room today, there is a massive amount of Social Capital. We, and especially the High Peace Council, must use this political and social capital in the service of peace. Where your word reaches, you each know thousands of people. My request is that you deliver both the message and the demand for peace to them.

In these twenty-four years, the suffering our sisters have endured has been seen by few. In Afghanistan, the women of the nation have always stepped onto the scene. Someone told me to celebrate "Malalai Day"—with my eyes and soul, I will! Today, the "Malalais" wearing turbans of honor are sitting among you, and they are just as heroic. The beauty is that the women of Afghanistan today can represent themselves. Do not call the thoughts of Afghan women "imported thoughts." They come from the heart of society; they have deep roots and represent the future of society in the best way.

The Test of Will

Third Point: We are in a state of testing our will and resolve. First, I wish to send blessings to the pure souls of all martyrs and victims of war. When the children of Adam—and all the people of Afghanistan are our children—are torn to pieces and their blood fills the streets, this is a Divine test. What does it mean?

When our opponents kill us, is our answer war or peace? Look at the Holy Verse: "Repel evil with that which is better." Peace is superior to war. Otherwise, what is the difference if we answer killing with killing? While the heroes of our Security and Defense forces defend this soil—and that is the field of battle—the alleys are not battlefields, the mosques are not battlefields, the hospitals are not battlefields. They changed the shape of war. Our test is to maintain our intellect during days of grief and understand our interests.

I want to thank a young man. After the bloody tragedy in Kabul, a young man sent me a message. I was returning from the hospital having seen all those bodies. He said: "President, I do not give you the right to be emotional. I did not elect you to cry. I did not elect you to lose your goal. I elected you to have a resolve of steel and to pursue peace!"

This was the message of a youth that I first shared with Ustadh Khalili. Even when the atmosphere was extremely tense, I went to the High Peace Council to tell them: do not lose sight of your goal.

We are pursuing this goal and, Inshallah, we will bring it to fruition. One week from today, the "Second Kabul Conference" will take place. The goal of this conference is to create a regional and international consensus on peace and to present the proposal for peace negotiations with the Taliban to the world and to our people. We give them the right to choose. Let them see: do they have the same intention? Are they surrendered to the Will of God (jt) and do they perceive the pulse of the nation, or not?

Sovereignty and National Unity

We can always fight, but the point is to do the "hard work," and currently, the hard work is the work of peace. I want to repeat a few of your messages that you whispered in my ear. First, why did I come and, contrary to courtly protocols, embrace each of you? Because you brought me here; no one else brought me here. I was thanking you!

I was not the candidate of the powerful; I was not the candidate of the wealthy; I was not the candidate of the land-grabbers. I was your candidate! I thank you!

Secondly, seeing each of you makes me feel the "blessing of the delight of a United Afghanistan." One minute I hear Uzbeki, the next Turkmen, then Dari, then Pashto. This is the National Unity of Afghanistan.

I have a simple point here: has our status as a Nation, as Afghans, and as Muslims been gifted to us, or did we earn it with blood? We gave 1.5 million martyrs. For the sake of Jihad, we left our homes and hearths. Millions became refugees for the sake of the Kalima of Allah. Did any friend or foe believe our Jihad would succeed?

Qazi Sahib and Haji Sahib, you were on the front lines. We succeeded because of faith in Allah (jt) and the unity of the nation. People have repeatedly tried to colonize our land, delete our identity, and question our unity. Every time, did we not come together in unity and agreement? You are the embodiment of Afghanistan's national unity. This is the greatest capital.

The second message was the Rule of Law. Look at that photo of Amanullah Khan. He had the best aspirations, but they weren't realized because he didn't have a nation like you behind him. He was alone, within a limited circle. My point is that we will complete the unfinished chapter of Amanullah Khan, because today, the nation demands it!

The Price of Peace and Practical Action

Your third message was that we must have the intent (Niyyat), the will, and a practical program for peace. The concept of "Intent" appears five times in Sahih Bukhari. Intent is the foundation. I want to reflect the wish that is in your hearts—not just as President, but as an Afghan, a citizen, and a compatriot.

Power does not last for anyone. Tomorrow, I want to look you in the eye in the village and say: my intent was peace, and it remained peace.

Will is necessary because you understand peace is difficult. Peace is not easy; peace has a price. Do you know what the greatest price of peace is? We must understand the perspective of our opponents. Peace cannot be one-sided or imposed. If we have the intent, we must accept that peace requires negotiation, and negotiation requires persuasion (Qana'at).

But when there is will—Sarfaraz Sahib, you know—we clarified peace with Hezb-e-Islami because we had the will. When we have intent and will, problems are solved. Most importantly, reaching a peace treaty has its challenges, but the main issue must be the implementation of peace.

Peace is implemented, brothers and sisters, when we address the five million refugees and our internally displaced persons. Several of you gave me petitions because someone took your land; several elders wept because they were oppressed. Can peace be implemented in such a state? We must have the Rule of Law; we must have the strength; we must have the will. Without action, peace cannot happen. What is on paper is the result of intent, but what yields results is practical implementation.

Is there anything worse in this world than a scholar without practice (Aalim-e-be-Amal)? It is clear that peace requires preparation. Without nationwide economic, political, and cultural reforms, implementing peace is a struggle. Grabbers had seized nearly one million acres of land. We took back about 400,000 acres, yet there is no place for the refugee? Do you call this justice? Do you ask for bribes from a refugee returning to the embrace of his country? Is this acceptable?

We do not want this! The voice of the nation must rise. We must identify the obstacles to peace. Now that you have created a consensus for peace, you must also diagnose its obstacles. Ownership of peace means we must identify the barriers ourselves and find the solutions ourselves.

Can anyone understand our pain better than we do? Let it not be like in the past, where foreigners came every day saying "fight corruption," and now they say "stop, where and when will the speed decrease?" [President laughs]. Because we have taken Ownership, and that ownership must be held clearly.

A Final Message: History and Brotherhood

Your last message was very important; I heard it repeatedly. You mentioned Ahmad Shah Baba, Mirwais Nika, and other leaders. Your message to me was: Make history. Win a name for Afghanistan and do not chase other things. If this is your instruction, with my head and eyes, I am ready for any sacrifice to win history for this nation!

Finally, regarding the role of tribal and Jihadist elders: first is the necessity of "mindset-building." Today, you collectively created a resolution that provides a massive framework for this. When you return, continue this mindset-building. This should not be a two-day meeting; it is part of a continuous process.

Secondly, consider yourselves Ambassadors of Peace. One week from now, we will announce it to the world. If they respond and accept official negotiations, wonderful. If not, your message is this—and I agree with it—we must implement a National Movement across Afghanistan that visits every village. To anyone with a gun in their hand, you tell them: "Dismiss your gun."

There was a Jihadist leader from Paktika—the elders of Paktika surely know him. After the Bonn Conference, he climbed a mountain. Someone asked, "Commander, what are you doing?" He said, "I have hit enough targets; I have protected my country; now I want to give my gun its leave." This gun needs its leave, and you are the ones who can give it that leave. You can gather up this grief, and Inshallah, we will. Again, it is the guidance of Allah (jt): if the enemy comes at you with harshness, meet them with peace, and the result will be that lost brotherhood will live again.

We have lost something fundamental: the atmosphere of peace and mutual acceptance. Peace must provide the ground for us to accept one another. As the Pashto proverb says:

"If you say 'It is I' and I say 'It is I,' neither you nor I shall remain. But if I say 'It is You' and you say 'It is You,' both I and you shall remain."

The message of peace is very simple. We want all Afghans not to be "I" and "You," but to be "We." One united nation, one great nation, and one powerful state that acts within the framework of God (jt) and the Constitution.

Once again, I thank you for your active role, your arrival, and your commitment to the peace process and our sacred national goals.

Yasha-sin Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!)

Tal de wi Afghanistan! (May Afghanistan be eternal!)

Zenda bad Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!)

May the hopeful process of peace endure, and may the High Peace Council of Afghanistan be successful!