KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani is set to deliver a key speech in a joint session of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) and Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) on Monday (Today) in an effort to discuss issues of national interest with legislators.
This comes amid a surge in Taliban insurgency, an economic recession and persistent deadlocks with the much-awaited peace and reconciliation process between the government and Taliban.
Ghani's address to parliament also takes place in the wake of last week's deadly attack on a security compound in Kabul city which sparked an outcry by the public after 64 people were killed and over 340 wounded.
The president is also expected to touch on the government's stance against Taliban that was taken in the aftermath of last week's truck bombing by the Taliban.
Sources meanwhile have said that the president will inform lawmakers about a five year war strategy sketched by government, a strategy that will help the Afghan security forces to end their defensive status and take an offensive approach to militants.
"The president is expected to deliver a speech at the joint session of the national assembly tomorrow (Monday) to discuss issues of national interest with the representatives of the people (MPs) with the main focus on the current situation and the future of war," deputy presidential spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazavi said.
In recent months pressure however has mounted on the government over the fragile security situation in the country with a number of Afghan political forces asking the government to define the terms friend and enemy.
Ghani is also expected to highlight the importance of good governance and measures taken by the government in tackling various situations.
"National assembly hopes that the president clarifies his stance on peace and war. The issue of jobs of caretakers are also an important issue which needs to be addressed," MP Niamatullah Ghafari said.
"The decision works if it is not short term and symbolic and that the decision must not change color when it gets a green light by Pakistan," senator Abdullah Qarluq said.
"President's strategy will be effective if there is a clear explanation from the friend and the enemy including peace. The president should also make it clear what is the price of war. We believe that it was the armed opponents that announced war and they have to stop it now," Sediq Patman, a member of Jabha-e-Milli Naveen-e-Afghanistan party, said.
The attack in Kabul has had major repercussions on the political and military fronts with the Afghan officials accusing the Taliban of deliberately killing Afghan people.
In a policy shift, the Afghan government announced that it will take a hard stance against the Taliban in the wake of the deadly attack last week.
Also on Sunday, the Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced that while the peace process with the Taliban has hit a stalemate, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have no option except to take the war to the Taliban to eliminate them. (Tolonews)