KABUL -Afghanistan finally moving towards advice of Pakistani PM Imran Khanof making an interim government before the elections.
At least 11 presidential candidates on Tuesday demanded interim setup afterMay 22.
They said that they will hold widespread protests against the continuationof the government after May 22.
“Civil protest is the last option but if the government did not listen tous and didn’t respect the law, in that case, within the framework of thelaw, without endangering the public order and security, we will takepeaceful and legal actions,” said Mohammad Hanif Atmar, former NationalSecurity Advisor to President Ghani and a presidential candidate.
“This government is the outcome of a fraud. During the last five years, thegovernment has violated the law more than a hundred times. The governmentdidn’t respect the 2014 political agreement but still insists that it canbuild Afghanistan within the next six months,” said Ahmad Wali Massoud, apresidential candidate.
“The National Unity Government has no legal base in the Constitution. Itwas formed after a consensus between the two electoral tickets,” saidFaramarz Tamana, another presidential candidate.
The Council of presidential candidates on Monday suggested theestablishment of a caretaker government after May 22 and called on theNational Unity Government (NUG) leaders to step down.
In a declaration, the candidates called on President Ashraf Ghani to choosebetween remaining in power as caretaker of the government or refrain fromcandidacy in the upcoming elections. According to the declaration, thecontinuation of the tenure of the incumbent government after May 22 isillegal and against the Constitution of Afghanistan.
However, Ghani’s Office said in a statement that the proposal of caretakergovernment has no legal bases in the Afghan Constitution. The statementadded that the country’s Supreme Court is the only source to interpret theConstitution, not the political parties or politicians.
Recently, the Supreme Court extended Ghani’s service term until there-election of a new president.
Based on the Constitution, the legal tenure of the National UnityGovernment ends on May 22.
Afghanistan’s presidential election is scheduled to be held on 28 September2019. – Ariana News