After a week of intense rumors and actual statements from opposition parties about the preparations for Loya Jirga, the Presidential Spokesman has said the so-called assembly will be called to decide about the Bilateral Security Agreement with the US.

Previously the alliance of opposition parties Coordination Council of Political Parties had warned the Karzai Administration was preparation to call a Loya Jirga to delay next year’s Presidential election and make grounds for maneuvering of the power transfer. Denying these concerns, Aimal Faizi the Presidential spokesman says the Jirga will be called to discuss the BSA. He added that the masses would be included in decision making about the BSA talks with the US and that it “would not be signed blindly”.

Last week, members of the Right and Justice Party, the National Coalition Party and the Afghan Millat accused the President of preparing to call the Jirga with motives aimed at extension of his stay in power. They rightly said that the BSA is an integral part of the US-Afghanistan Strategic  Cooperation Agreement.

Following the statements from political parties, MPs in the National Assembly also came with criticism of the President saying he wants to turn the BSA talks into a personal affair for his individual agendas, seeking to prolong its stay in power.

Some MPs even claimed the proposed Jirga would probably attempt to suggest amendments in Constitution aimed at serving interest of the President to stay in power beyond his constitutional two-term limit.

A meeting of some former Jihadi leaders and MPs were held in the Palace with President Karzai the previous week. The President had proposed the idea of Loya Jirga there. It was followed by fierce reaction from political parties and MPs, but it seems the government is intent to continue with its plans of the Jirga, which is absolutely unnecessary and time-wasting given the fact that a previous consultative Jirga has already approved the overall Strategic Cooperation Agreement with the US and there is no need of another drama of hand-picked ‘elders’ to decide on this issue. The Palace has already tasked its people on district level to recommend local elders who would speak on terms of the President’s agenda and support his calls.

With these moves, it is claimed that government is trying to create further uncertainty and provoking anger that could led to political instability and chaos. The government has become increasingly authoritarian with such steps and it must stop and pay heed to the calls of the parliament and opposition parties.