Editorial: Steps towards national unity

The Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Commission, led by Sibghatullah Mujaddidi, has so far held more than 4,000 meetings with leaders of the government’s armed opponents. A spokesman for the commission says that to date, more than 1,400 government opponents have laid down their arms and joined the peace and reconciliation process. The spokesman also says that mediation by the commission had led to 350 prisoners being freed from the Guantanamo Bay and Bagram detention centres since the commission was established six months ago. We hope that peace is established, and we want our misguided countrymen to lay down their weapons and thus make the country stable and territorially intact, in the face of enemies who are trying to derail our independent government. These enemies are constantly trying to deny the government an opportunity to implement reconstruction programmes and plans. They are trying to destroy our dams, schools and bridges, our national and government institutions, our cultural and economical infrastructure, and they want us to remain a client for ever. Fortunately, most of our patriotic countrymen have realised the truth, laid down their arms and joined the peace process.