KABUL (PAN): Presidential candidate Muhammad Hakim Torsan has said that efforts for strengthening security, pushing forward peace process, reconciliation with the Taliban and giving general amnesty to all rebel forces were an integral part of his agenda, he will implement if he wins the presidential race. "The most challenging problem is lack of security and we could not restore it because since the Bonn agreement, nothing serious is being done to reconcile with Taliban and Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan while some other groups were being awarded amnesty," said Torsan during an interview with this scribe. The presidential hopeful said he started his political career by joining the Afghanistan People's Democratic Party in 1973. Now he is an executive member of the Afghanistan National Unity party, but jumped into the presidential race as an independent candidate. "In order to bring to an end the ongoing war, I will announce general amnesty to all opposition forces," he added. Once the resistance stopped, Torsan hoped, there will be no reason for foreign forces to stay in the country. Torsan believed the foreign forces have been settled in Afghanistan to achieve their strategic goals under the so-called slogan of peace in Afghanistan. "The foreign forces have made the situation further deteriorated to provide reason to their stay in Afghanistan," he added. He accused the foreign forces of providing accommodation and lodging to the opposition forces. "In Afghanistan, there are US Taliban, British Taliban, Iranian Taliban and Pakistani Taliban," he believed. Torsan said conducting air-strikes against a handful of militants were unnecessary as such actions were often resulted into civilian casualties. Describing the presidential system ineffective, the aspirant said he will change the system into parliamentary system. About his foreign policy, he said it will be based on neutrality, friendship and coordination. He linked the country's development and reconstruction to restoration of security. "Afghanistan is an agriculture country and the development of agriculture sector is one of my priorities," he said. "Best utilization of mineral resources under a viable plan with the help of experts and encouraging national and international investors to invest in different fields is part of my strategy," he added. He said without education, the country can not be developed. "I will open new schools all over the country, particularly in the rural areas," Torsan promised and pledged to provide facilities to the existing schools, besides increase in salaries of the teachers and allotting them with plots. Torsan also said that he would announce establishing orphanages to facilitate the families of the martyrs and disables. About women rights, he said he had various programmes to prevent violence against women in the country. He said he will promote media and will assist private media to support the government. Torsan said he spent most of his time amongst the people and knew the agony and problems being faced by them. "Therefore, the people will vote me," he claimed. Torsan was born in1954 and did his BA in literature from Kabul University. He said he had worked on various positions in security departments of the country from 1979 to 1992. Nasrullah Zyarmal, from Zabul province and Dr. Sayed Yasin Halabi, from Maidan Wardak province are his running mates. The presidential and provincial council elections are due on August 20.