KABUL (Pajhwok): Presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Friday said he would strongly pursue the fight against Afghanistan’s enemies involved in slaughtering its elders and thousands of innocent citizens.
Abdullah was addressing tens of thousands of people attending the 19th death anniversary of Abdul Ali Mazari, a prominent leader of the Hezb-i-Wahdat party.
Mazari was killed by the Taliban in 1995 after inviting him for a political dialogue and threw out his body from a helicopter during fight over Ghazni.
The Taliban then handed over his body and those of his companions to Hezb-i-Wahdat. Mazari's body was carried on foot from Ghazni in the west to Mazar-i-Sharif by his followers over a period of forty days. Hundreds of thousands attended his funeral in Mazar-i Sharif, the capital of Balkh.
His death anniversary was attended by thousands of people, including lawmakers, government officials, political party leaders, tribal elders and supporters in the Desht-i-Barchi area of Kabul.
“We stand in the way of murderers and criminals in the defence of our soil. We are not letting them to shed the blood of our people and destroy their properties,” Abdullah said in an indirect reference to the Taliban.
The former foreign minister called on the people to support him in the April elections in order to see their wishes come true.
He said his team wanted a lasting peace and was committed to its promises with the people and trying to bring about improvement in their lives.
Abdullah said he would focus on parallel development in areas of education, health and rights of women and people with disabilities if he won the elections.
His running mate Mohammad Muhaqqiq said Mazari had sacrificed his life in the defence of motherland, calling for his mission to be continued.
He criticised the government for its failure to ensure uniform development in the country over the past 12 years.
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