PESHAWAR: Mohammad Umer Daudzai, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, hasn’t ruled out his candidature in his country’s presidential election to be held on April 5 next year.
When asked during his visit to Peshawar to comment on media reports that he could be a candidate in Afghanistan’s next presidential election. Daudzai said: “This could be an option, but I am not yet a candidate.
I believe every Afghan should contribute to Afghanistan’s reconstruction and stability by ensuring that reforms and shortcomings are overcome.”
With other likely candidates, Daudzai’s name has been mentioned as a prospective candidate from the Hamid Karzai camp. However, it is early to predict who eventually would be fielded by President Karzai, who under Afghanistan’s constitution cannot stand for election for the third term. Daudzai, who in the past served as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Iran and also as President Karzai’s aide at the presidential palace, said he met Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah and government officials dealing with the issue of Afghan refugees during his Peshawar visit.
“The situation of Afghan refugees has improved. They continue to face some problems; but overall improvements have occurred in the way they are treated here. They are complaining about the lack of support from the two NGOs that receive money from the UNHCR to provide legal assistance to the Afghan refugees,” lie added.
Taliban would have to first agree to dissociate from al Qaeda and hold talks with Afghanistan’s High Peace Council. Only then a memorandum of understanding would be signed and start the peace talks.”
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