Presidential candidate and leader of Hizb-e-Islami party, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, at a press conference in Kabul on Wednesday rejected Tuesday’s announcement by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) declaring incumbent Ashraf Ghani the country’s next president, saying Ghani chose the path of crisis rather than the path of cooperation.

We suggested that you (President Ghani) cooperate with us to resolve the crisis, but you (Ghani) chose the path of crisis, said Hekmatyar.

Let’s compete in any province you (Ghani) want, if you (Ghani) get 30 percent of the votes, I will accept you as president, Hekmatyar challenged Ghani.

Hekmatyar opposed the creation of a ‘parallel’ government in the country.

We do not support any parallel government, but we support an inclusive government where all see themselves represented, including the Taliban, he said.

Hekmatyar said that officials of both electoral commissions should be punished, because they have pushed the election process into a crisis.