Senior officials from government, former jihadi leaders and High Peace Council (HPC) officials attended a conference in Kabul on Thursday to mark the International Day of Peace and said peace in Afghanistan was critical.

According to HPC chairman Mohammad Karim Khalili, peace was a national requirement and a serious matter for Afghanistan.
He said an environment has been established for peace at a national, regional and international level.

We will firmly move forward in the peace process, with patience, and we will not fear any allegations. One day it will be proved that the High Peace Council will achieve the trust of the people and the government leaders... The High Peace Council will move forward seriously in the peace process, he said.

He suggested that positive steps should be taken to make use of the chance to bring peace to the war-weary country.

He also sent a message to the Taliban to forget about returning to power in the same way as they did in the past.

Some officials did however raise the issue of criticism lodged against the peace council.

Fingers are pointed at the High Peace Council sometimes which say that peace will come if these and those figures are appointed in this council. I say that the council has comprehensive activities if you see its strategy, said Qiyamuddin Kashaf, the head of Afghanistan’s Ulema Council.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said the Afghan government wants peace with dignity for both sides - the government, the people and the anti-government opposition groups.

The war will continue until a political solution is found. The Afghan government has repeatedly said that it does not believe the war can end and peace can be achieved through war. But when it comes to defense, the people of Afghanistan are on the defensive; and they are making sacrifices every day and we should thank the Afghan security forces for their sacrifices, he said.

He brought up Kabul’s peace deal with Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and said this was an example of actual steps taken by government to achieve peace.