KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday urged the Afghans to put aside their past differences and work for the country’s prosperity under the constitution.

Speaking at a gathering marking the 23rd anniversary of the Mujahidin’s victory over the former Soviet Union forces, the president pledged drastic administrative reforms to improve living condition of the countrymen in a short period of time.

He said the government had adopted policies in cooperation with the international community to integrate Asia and Middle East economies through Afghanistan.

The president said the cabinet would work on a 100-day plan to ensure that people felt positive change as a result of government policies.

He said global terrorist networks were out destabilise Afghanistan and reached their targets by spreading fear and threatening people.

Ghani said terrorists earned bad name to Islam by staging attacks on public gatherings that resulted in the killing of innocent people. The world, he said, fortunately understood that terrorists had no links with Islam.

He said the government was determined to shorten the distance between the Presidential Palace and mosque.

“I ordered the ministries of Hajj and Religious Affairs and Finance to male permanent 3,700 employees who had been hired short term basis and award another 700 short-term contracts so that ulema feel themselves part of the government,” the president said. 

He said the Ministry of Martyrs and Disables had been tasked with addressing problems being faced by families of martyrs and people with disabilities.

The president pledged to fight poverty, corruption, lawlessness, and insecurity to enable the next generation to live in peace and tranquility.

He praised scarifies rendered by the Mujahideen, saying the goals of decades-long could not be achieved without a strong economy and leadership.

The gathering was attended by a large number of government officials including Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah and former jihadi leaders, including Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, who asked the government not to give mujahideen a symbolic role in the government. (Pajhwok)