President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said Daesh “has no room in the Afghan society” and his government had launched a strict campaign against the militant outfit.
The president, who arrived on a day-long visit to the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, thanked the people of eastern provinces for asking him to bring about changes.
Pledging positive changes to the country’s situations, Ghani said: “I would like to embrace martyrdom instead of living with a bad name. I am ready to die for the nation.”
The president said at the start of his government, people had asked him to take every step carefully, so he did that. But now he was taking steps urgently as the people demanded of him, he said. “I will appoint a delegation for Kunar and Nangarhar to evaluate government departments to look for possible changes.”
About land grabs, the president said the menace was unacceptable for people of Nangarhar and for him too, directing the Nangarhar police chief to prepare a list of land grabbers and get court orders for their arrest.
“If he can’t do this, he has to be transferred to another place. I also direct the 201st Selab military crops to cooperate with police in keeping land from illegal grabbers.”
The president also praised sacrifices of people and the youths of the eastern provinces who served in military forces.
He reaffirmed his pledge to construct houses and give more privileges to families who lost their family members. “I am president because of the sacrifices of the youth,” he added.
Ghani suggested the establishment of a ulema centre in Nangarhar for eastern provinces to prevent people from approaching kangaroo court and advise courts in making decisions.
He also pledged completion of roads, dams and some other infrastructure projects in Nangarhar.
He said Afghanistan imported agriculture goods worth $4 billion per annum, but the country would be an exporter of agricultural goods in the next four years, adding they would pay more attention to the agriculture sector of the country.
Ghani said “Daesh has no place in our society, so we have to take urgent steps against the group,” adding that the national security advisor and the defence minister had taken necessary steps in this regard.
Regarding the peace process, Ghani said Afghanistan wanted peace with honour and could not enter negotiations with begging but would go for the peace talks with a high morale. He vowed to inform the nation about the details of Monday’s quadrilateral in Islamabad.
The quadrilateral meeting of Afghanistan, Pakistan, US and China officials will discuss a mechanism for the second round of negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives.
The president was accompanied by a high-level delegation including some ministers, chief of the armed forces and other security officials.
He addressed a large gathering of tribal elders, religious scholars and public representatives at the governor’s house coming all the way from Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman provinces.
By Zeerak Fahim
