KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): A leading presidential candidate Wednesday promised that he would set in motion a substantive national reconciliation process with militants if he won the August 20 elections.
Addressing a mammoth gathering arranged in his support in this southern city, the birthplace of the Taliban movement, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah denounced the Karzai administration's reconciliation drive as a half-hearted measure.
Accompanied by his vice-presidential pick and several Wolesi Jirga members, the National United Front nominee argued the current wave of unrest in the country amply proved that the present peace initiative was a non-starter.
The ex-foreign minister told the public meeting -- attended by nearly 3000 men and women from neighbouring provinces -- he was visiting Kandahar at a time of unprecedented insecurity, corruption, unemployment and frustration.
"Over the last eight years, President Karzai has miserably failed capitalise on opportunities available to him to promote the core national interests. And thus he allowed Afghanistan's problems to multiply," he alleged.
Since the inception of the election campaign, he charged, conspiracies were hatched to give the masses an impression that the poll outcome was predetermined and Karzai would retain the presidency for another five-year term.
Abdullah also referred to 'phony concerns' voiced in recent weeks that his success could unleash a new bout of violence in and ethnic clashes in the country. He insisted such chaotic conditions already existed in parts of Afghanistan.
If voted into power, the former minister pledged, he would put in place a system of merit in addition to raising a national security force that would obviate the need for the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan over the next three years.
He also promised to ensure the release of innocent prisoners and better education and employment opportunities for women. Abdullah went on to assure an end to the injustices being meted out to the downtrodden and poor.
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