KABUL - A number of ex-Jihadi leaders and political parties have formed a council to help overcome challenges in war-ravaged Afghanistan.
They have also formed a commission to discuss the participation of Jihadi forces (public forces) to help maintain security in the country.
The CEO's office meanwhile says it supports the cooperation of public forces for ensuring security in the country, but such decisions should be made in collaboration with security forces.
The former Jihadi leaders have named the council as the Council of Jihadi Leaders and Political Parties. They say that the council has a six-member commission that will talk with the National Unity Government (NUG) leaders aimed at discussing the security, economic and political challenges in the country.
"The issue of chairmanship of this council has not been discussed yet but it is obvious that Ustad Sayyaf arranged the meeting. The council wants to discuss the security situation," said Daud Kalakani, an MP who attended the gathering.
He said the commission has already met to discuss the security situation and Kabul's relations with neighbors ahead of a planned meeting with the NUG leaders.
Members of the council said the president has agreed to talk about reforms in government and empowering the security forces.
"We have not discussed details of the plan to include Jihadi forces in the security forces if the situation deteriorates. We have not discussed how to call on people to support security forces if needed," he said.
"The responsibility of logistics and equipment of (Jihadi) forces must be shouldered by the government," Kalakani said.
The CEO's spokesman Mujiburrahman Rahimi said meanwhile that using public forces to help security in the country is worth considering but these forces should not pose any security threat in the long-term.
"Public forces have announced their support to security forces countywide and the government is supporting this move, but this does not mean that we are going towards forming a militia."
A number of analysts in political affairs have said the role of public forces besides the Afghan security forces could be a good move.
"Establishment of such councils is a good move. Gathering of such figures reveals national unity, but these leaders should bring up a single definition in forming such a council. Such a council should prove effective afterwards," said Ahmad Wali Massoud, analyst and former ambassador of Afghanistan to England.
Former Jihadi leader Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, former defense minister Bismillah Mohammadi, former Jihadi leader and former vice president Mohammad Yunus Qanuni, former Jihadi leader and ex-minister of water and energy Mohammad Esmail Khan and other prominent Jihadi leaders and heads of political parties are members of the council. (Tolonews)