KABUL (PAN): Eng Muhammad Hashim Tawfiqi, an independent presidential candidate, has said he would purge Afghanistan of poppies and corruption within three years, if elected to the top slot in the elections slated for the 20th of this month.
In an interview with Pajhwok Afghan News the presidential hopeful said the current government has failed to eradicate poppy due to its 'inability'.
"My set-up will be free of administrative corruption so eliminating poppy cultivation will require a short period of time," he argued.
Tawfiqi said he would put the agriculture sector on modern footing in order to make the country self-sufficient in food and bring stability and improvement into living standards of the countrymen.
Tawfiqi revealed he had derived his five years plan from the plan of former Afghanistan's president Sardar Muhammad Daud Khan and he would implement it with some necessary amendments.
Tawfiqi said as he jumped into the presidential race, Taliban sent him a congratulatory message.
""It was unexpected that the Taliban will send a message of congratulation. In the message, they said they congratulate me for my nomination," he added, but gave no further details.
When this scribe contacted a Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, he said they did not know the candidate.
"The election is an American process and whoever has nominated himself is against us," said Mujahid.
Tawfiqi said the Taliban were teachers of the religion and the reason behind their resistance was the presence of foreign troops in the country.
He believed peace and security in the country was not possible without negotiations with the Taliban: "I believe we should sit with the Taliban at the table of negotiations and should ask for their support what better they can do for the country," he said.
Tawfiqi said the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan was the cause of the ongoing war. "I want them withdrawn," he said.
He added except the Turkish forces and German technical team, all the forces troops should leave the country.
"I want to tell the foreign forces their mission in Afghanistan is restoration of peace, not establishing bases here," he said.
He said the foreign forces had established three nuclear bases in Bagram, Shindand and Lashkargah. "The future of Afghans is a nuclear grave," said Tawfiqi.
He vowed to do away with some evil traditions, particularly those against women by bringing improvement into cultural and economic situation of the people.
Tawfiqi said he has opposition to the open market, saying it has failed in the world and should be replaced with the mixed economy.
He said he will establish seven banks such as agriculture, industries, construction, refugees, disables, youths and professionals. He said the proposed banks would provide the people facilities and small loans.
Born in 1933 in Kabul city, Tawfiqi graduated from Habibia High School in Kabul and he studied in management, economy and politics in UK and Germany.
He said he had worked for 10 years in foreign ministry from 1964 to 1978 as general manager.
Shah Wali Rohani and Ghulam Ali Amin are his running mates.
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