A senior member of the Islamic Emirate, Anas Haqqani, at a gathering in Kabul on Tuesday listed measures to overcome poverty and illiteracy in the country.
Speaking at a conference addressing the country’s poverty and education needs, Anas Haqqani called weak former governments, war, illiteracy, unemployment, climate change and population growth the main causes of poverty.
“The Western countries and their allies who brought millions of dollars under the title of aid, they were all meant for war, not to develop Afghanistan and bring comfort to its people–the nation is the same, why are they now not being so generous?” Haqqani said.
The gathering was held by the Asia International Development Research and Study Center in Kabul, where several senior members of the Islamic Emirate participated.
“Our nation has been deprived of good things (luxury) due to the interference of foreigners. We couldn’t achieve the necessary (progress) as it was needed. From now on, our intentions should be to improve the country,” he said.
Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani at a gathering for reconciliation between the Haqqani family and a tribe in the Garda-Serai district of Paktia called for the resolution of disputes through negotiation.
Many tribal elders gathered to reconcile a feud between the Haqqani family and Sori Khail tribe after more than 60 years of hostility. “We made an agreement today in which we will turn such hostilities into friendships. After that we will go to Logar, Kabul, Shinwari, and eastern areas and will solve such hostilities,” he said.
“Such steps will be taken in regard to the traditional taboos such as killing someone else instead of the killer,” said Anas Haqqani, a senior member of the Islamic Emirate. “We will try to seek forgiveness for the killers but if it doesn’t happen, another person should not be killed instead of the killer. The old hostilities remain from the ancestors, it should not make trouble for the rest of the families.”
According to the residents, several decades ago a member of the Sori Khail tribe was killed in a dispute with the family of Haqqani.
“My wish from the people and nation is to forgive each other as we did,” said Ahmad Khan, a relative of the person who was killed several years ago by the Haqqani family.
Haqqani said he respects the outcome of the gathering made by the tribal elders.
However, both sides reconciled and hugged each other after a decision made by the elders in the gathering.
“We urge all tribes to resolve all types of disputes that happened among them. It should be eliminated. We will launch the convoy of peace from here,” said Mawlawi Abdullah, governor of Paktika.
Speaking at the same gathering, deputy Minister of Economy Abdul Latif Nazari said that many Afghan and foreign business people have expressed readiness to invest because of good security since the Islamic Emirate swept into power.
“The capacity of each and every Afghan should be highlighted and the financial and ideal capacity and ability of all should be used—who can play a vital role in such a condition,” he said.
This comes as many humanitarian organizations have expressed concerns over the rise in poverty in Afghanistan.—Tolonews
