President Ashraf Ghani, addressing a ceremony on the second anniversary of the 17th National Assembly, said as head of state he does not want any of the detainees in question imprisoned, but he said there is a need for a transparent mechanism to release the Taliban prisoners - as part of a peace deal between the US and the Taliban.

Ghani also said that there is a need for an executive guarantee for the release of the prisoners.

Based on the US-Taliban agreement signed on Feb. 29 in Qatar, up to 5,000 prisoners of the Taliban in the Afghan government’s custody should be released by March 10 ahead of the intra-Afghan negotiations.

Saturday’s event was attended by Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish and members of the two parliament houses - the Wolesi Jirga and the Meshrano Jirga.

Calling the current condition critical in terms of an opportunity for peace, Ghani said the people’s request is that there should be an executive guarantee so that these people (prisoners) will not return to violence once they are released.

Ghani said discussions were made last week about the negotiating team. Our negotiating team will be ready by March 10, Ghani said.

Ghani called on MPs to announce a selection of two members from the Meshrano Jirga (including one woman) and five members of the Wolesi Jirga (including two women) to participate in the High Council of Reconciliation.

But President Ghani did not make it clear whether he will conduct consolations with the seven lawmakers, or if he will include them on the negotiating team.

Afghanistan is in a critical stage and is in dire need of unity. We can only overcome challenges with the perspective of national unity, Ghani concluded.

SOURCE: TOLONEWS