KABUL - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday called on the Taliban to leave Pakistan and open office in Afghanistan.
It comes two days after the president rejected part of US-Taliban deal that requires release of 5,000 prisoners before intra-Afghan negotiations.
“If the Taliban talk prisoner release and have it as a condition, we also have conditions, they should tell me when will they leave Pakistan?,” Ghani asked during a visit to eastern Nangarhar province.
Ghani suggested that his stance on peace process was not for his own personal interests, but those of Afghanistan.
“I am not asking for anything for myself… but I will ask for everything for Afghanistan, no one should ask me to be flexible on Afghanistan’s interests,” the president said.
Ghani said that people had asked him to lead peace efforts and the price of peace should be determined by them.
Referring to the disputed election, Ghani said that the process has ended and it was time for “national unity.”
He said that the new cabinet will be a political cabinet representing the entire country, “because we need to carry weight so that the political burden is not entirely on me.”
The Taliban have increased their attacks on Afghan forces after a reduction for seven days that led to the signing of deal with US.
“When you agree to make peace with foreigners, then what does Jihad mean? Killing Afghans is a crime,” Ghani said. (1TV NEWS)