Youth-Led Justice and Reform: The Path to Afghanistan’s Future

(Adress the Jirga on Justice, Reform, and Youth Participation)

• Justice-Seeking: Emphasis on accountability, transparency, and fighting corruption.
• Youth Participation: Young people as the driving force for reform and national development.
• Transformation and Reform: Structural and institutional reforms to strengthen governance.
• National Unity: Preserving Afghanistan’s sovereignty, equality, and social cohesion.
• Merit-Based Leadership: Appointing officials based on competence, not favoritism.
• Security and Stability: Ensuring national security and protecting citizens from threats.
• Economic and Social Development: Leveraging Afghanistan’s resources for public welfare.
• Hope and Optimism: Inspiring confidence and citizen participation in nation-building.

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

Khosh Kolding [Uzbek], Welcome [Dari], Starey Ma Shai [Pashto]! 

The Metaphor of the Kite: Leadership and People

Never forget that an elected leader is like a kite (Godi Paran); the higher it flies, the more its string remains in your hands. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the string today. You gave me the string; I will fly. Mr. Aryoubi, you said that the youth separated themselves from their families to join me; I separated myself from my family to join you.

Our shared goal is justice-seeking, transformation, and reform. First, I thank you from the bottom of my heart because no one—except the younger generation—ever thought Ashraf Ghani would become the President of Afghanistan. This seat is a seat of constant rotation. Do you accept this or not? One must have the endurance to hear insults for eight or ten hours a day. But know this: the one you have placed your trust in will never surrender under the pressure of insults.

The Burden of Inheritance and Corruption

We have described the inheritance we received. The question is not what was bequeathed to us. History will judge how we transformed this inheritance. No matter the cost, we will turn this legacy into a good one. When we eventually leave this place, this legacy will be a proper one.

Mr. Safi, thank you for asking about the obstacles. The obstacles are those "negative interests" that do not look toward tomorrow and destroy this country for the sake of today. Let me tell you a few factors of corruption, and then you be the judge.

In the procurement sector alone, in the evaluation of the contracts of just one ministry, we saved five billion Afghanis. Previously, not a single contract had been executed according to the law. Consider now: whom does transparency in contracts benefit? it benefits the nation. But as for the obstacles—those who committed corruption in these contracts know themselves well. Should they wait to be held accountable by the people, or should they move to sabotage the state?

For this reason, you need to raise your voices. I need your loud voices to stand against corruption. Mr. Waisa, you said the ministers do not meet with you. I will compel them to meet you. Tell me which one is corrupt and which one is clean. If, God forbid, you see even a shred of interest in corruption in me, I give you permission tomorrow to cut off my head.

16,500 individuals have looted the bulk of this country’s assets. Demand accountability so that land reaches all the people of Afghanistan, not just those 16,500. You ask, and I will answer. Is that fair?

The Pressure of Transformation

Now to the main point mentioned by Mr. Aryoubi. Since you have organized yourselves, I welcome your "positive pressure" with both eyes open. I face many "negative pressures"—I won't cite examples as you remember them—because in the early days, I told you that a balance between Transformation (Tahawul) and Continuity (Tadaom) is necessary.

This society has suffered greatly. As our sister, Ms. Shuja, mentioned, if our actions are not weighed fairly in the scales of justice, we will fall further into misfortune. Regarding the sacrifices of the youth: the younger generation has given the most in our security and defense forces, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You bought this country not just for yourselves, but for everyone living here, and this purchase was paid for with your blood. Today, the youth of this country—from every brotherly and equal ethnic group, both men and women—fight on the front lines of an imposed war. Every one of them is a volunteer, and I am proud of you.

The conspiracy of our enemies is to create two political geographies on this land to force us tomorrow to sit at a table as equals—to force the President of Afghanistan to go to the table as a supplicant (Nanawati). Our hearts no longer wish to go as supplicants, and the reason is that you, the youth, stand upon this soil. The absolute majority must hold absolute sovereignty over this land.

Economic Independence and Labor

"Reform" and "Transformation" are not optional; they are our duty. But can a country truly call itself independent when its entire security budget and a major part of its development budget come from outside? We must gird our loins. We were not created for begging; we were created for establishing peace and stability. I will not speak of unemployment today, because tomorrow I have a program planned on how to combat unemployment and create jobs. Let me speak more clearly to the whole nation about this tomorrow.

The Report Card of the State

In other sectors, give me my evaluation grade with full force. I will accept conditional passing grades, failing grades in some sectors, and average grades with both eyes open. Because without your effective and transparent judgment, reform will not happen.

All the world's prominent representatives came, and we evaluated ourselves strictly and transparently. No other poor country at war evaluates itself this way. In many areas, my criticisms are greater than yours because your criticisms are based on expectations, and that is positive. If your criticisms did not exist, I might lose hope. But you are the roots of hope in this country. When I wake up after morning prayers, I do not go back to sleep. You sleep, but I do not, because your energy comes to me—it is this youthful energy that gives an old man the strength to work 16 hours a day.

In the process of any major program, the most difficult stage is the foundation-laying. Only the foundation-layers feel the struggle. I understand and take your mistrust seriously. For years when we wanted to lay foundations, we unfortunately dug ditches instead. Your mistrust is understandable; but give me time and work with me so we can lay the foundation of a truly prosperous and developed Afghanistan.

Unity and the Choice of Resilience

Dear sisters and brothers! We must turn our despair into hope. It is not that people don't have the right to judge, but I tell you: we have no dignity outside this soil. Our dignity, our veil (Pat), and our status exist only in Afghanistan—and only in a United Afghanistan. Holding each other’s hands, maintaining national unity, and moving Afghanistan forward is our only option. If we lose hope, where will we go?

There were a few days of despair in Kunduz—sisters and brothers are here—did anyone open their doors to you? Or did they close the doors against us? Sisters and brothers! The doors of others are completely closed. Therefore, it is better to gird our loins to build this land. I ask you to think more focusly and make your criticisms specific and reform-oriented.

The Youthful Administration

I don’t want this to be the only meeting. Create a specific mechanism, focus on specific topics, and demand results from me with force. I am telling you the truth. Appointments have a hundred problems, but I have appointed many youth. For the first time in Afghanistan’s history, mayors under the age of 35 have been selected. I am appointing seven more of that age. The Mayor of Kandahar is 35; the Mayor of Herat is 31; the Mayor of Jalalabad is 33; and the Mayor of Khost is similarly young. Our Ambassador in Washington is not yet 35.

I stopped the extension of retirement. I haven't given an extension to a single person because the administration must become young. There were individuals who had seen 25 extensions. You can investigate this; I haven't extended the retirement of even one person. Our problem is that principles must rule; reforms must be based on principles, not personal taste. For this reason, I want my personal authorities to decrease and the authorities of the Law to increase.

A Peace of Principles

The second phase of the Cabinet’s action plan is being prepared next Saturday; then we will sit with the youth so they can give you their report. I have prepared 100-day plans with the governors of all provinces. Every governor will report to you.

My final word is one of hope. Afghanistan is not a poor country. Its location, water resources, land, minerals, and wealth are all means of prosperity. A clear political vision and national consensus must be created to maximize these resources. Our commitment will be to create a vision where every Afghan considers themselves equal to another.

Peace and war both have a price. We want a peace that is sustainable, dignified, and respects our Constitutional values—especially the second chapter, which clearly states that Afghanistan consists of both men and women, and the tenets of Islam are not negotiable. We want a peace that is an end to war, not just another "deal." We want a principled peace.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. May God keep you prosperous, always alive, and always critical. The day a young person becomes quiet and stops being critical, they are no longer young.

Long live Afghanistan!