Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Afghan militant leader turned politician, on Friday presented a list of demands to the Afghan government, threatening protests in cities across the country if not heeded
KABUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2021) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Afghan militant leader turned politician, on Friday presented a list of demands to the Afghan government, threatening protests in cities across the country if not heeded.
Speaking at a protest organized by his Hezb-e-Islami militant group, Hekmatyar presented nine demands to the Afghan government, which included stopping alleged targeted killings of the state's political opponents, stopping alleged preparations for a new war and pillage of national wealth, transferring of power to a new government, as well as releasing the group's fighters from prison.
"I give the presidential palace ten days to accept our national demands. If it does not accept our demands within ten days, our protests will start in other major cities and will continue. The demands of our future demonstrations will be to ask the current ruler to resign," Hekmatyar said.
The politician also claimed that the Afghan delegation in Doha does not represent the Afghan nation and called on the Taliban to "find a better way to achieve peace and for the government to resign.
The peace negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban began in the Qatari capital of Doha back in September. In early December, Kabul and the Taliban announced that they had agreed on the framework of the talks, allowing for discussions to now be held on substantive issues. Little progress, however, has so far been made since then.
