KABUL (PAN): Zabihullah Nuristani, who is running as an independent candidate in the August 20 presidential race, attributes insecurity to excessive poverty and economic constrains confronting the nation. "If I win in the elections, I will grant 25 acres of land to each poor family during the first year of my tenure as president in order to dry up the roots of insecurity," Nuristani told Pajhwok Afghan News in an interview. He believed most of the people had taken arms due to economic problems which was the major reason behind the prevailing insecurity in the country. "I think, this problem should be addressed first of all," he remarked. When asked where he would find such a vast land, Nuristani responded that 80 per cent of land in Afghanistan was barren and he would revive it and then grant to the people. The presidential hopeful said he will raise the number of army to 300,000 to be fully equipped and will reappoint the fired former military officers, besides establishing military schools and universities in all the provinces. To achieve these goals, Nuristani said, he will ask the international community to let the Afghan government utilize the international aid. He said no one was unhappy with the government, but the opposition forces whose rights were being denied. "I will create a new ministry under the name of peace ministry which will work on reviving the rights of all people. On this way I will give the oppressed segments their rights," the aspirant said. About the presence of foreign troops, Nuristani said: "It is premature for me to make a comment on the issue. I will announce my decision after winning the elections." However, he said he will use diplomatic channels to stop civilian casualties in foreign forces operations in Afghanistan. About the war criminals, he said he will bring them to justice. "I promise my nation that those who had embezzled even a single penny of the nation will have to face legal charges and will be punished by honest judges and attorneys," he answered to a query. Nuristani said he was in favour of the presidential system and Islamic economic system. He vowed to provide jobs to the people by launching mega developmental projects including construction of big dams and overhauling the irrigation system to boost agricultural revenues. He said he will work on expansion of forests in all the provinces through establishing nurseries. Under an organized programme, he added, the people will maintain forests. Nuristani said he will revisit the mining policy of the government and will involve local companies to tap the mineral resources in the country. He said his plan to grant land to destitute segment of the country will overcome the unemployment problem. "In addition to launching big projects, I will ask the national and International NGOs to recruit Afghans in their projects otherwise they will not be allowed to work here," he added. About his education plans, Nuristani said, he will update the current curriculum to meet the standard of the twenty-first century. He said children of age four will be provided maximum education facilities and when they reach the age of six they will be granted admission into school in the first grade. Learning computer for first year students and foreign language training will be included in the curriculum and the schools will be equipped with laboratories, he promised. He added the students will be provided food, clothes and education materials until grade six. Nuristani said professional schools and colleges will be established in all the provinces and literacy courses will be arranged for illiterates. He linked violence against women in the country to lack of education and said the problem will be tackled through spreading education. He considered some banking system in Afghanistan is forbidden from Islamic point of view and said it should be reviewed. He pledged, if elected, he will enforce Islamic banking system in Afghanistan. Nuristani said his foreign policy was based on mutual respect and equality with all the countries. About media freedom, he said the media will be free until it did not cross Islamic values and create chaos in the society. The presidential hopeful believed the people would vote him as he was living among the people and knew all the problems they were facing. Born in 1952 in Ghaziabad village of eastern Nuristan province, Zabihullah Ghazi Nuristani was graduated from Rahman Baba High School in 1970 and did his BA from agriculture institute in Kabul in 1975. His two deputies are Sayed Yousaf Shajan Pacha and Aqa Saeed Nuristani.