Education blog

The embattled Afghan government, in desperate efforts to ensure lasting peace in the country as part of new initiative, formed a High Council for Peace over the weekend to encourage Taliban insurgents to give up militancy.

Nevertheless, the militants, in a sharp reaction, fired rocket into the capital city Saturday night, although they have yet to release a statement and clarify their stance vis–vis the newly established peace council.

Established in the Presidential Palace on Saturday at a meeting with President Hamid Karzai on the chair, the members are several former Jihadi leaders including two ex-presidents — Burhanudin Rabbani and Sibghatullah Mujadadi, and seven women, a segment the Taliban had denied its right to education and equity with men during their rule collapsed in late 2001.

The Taliban insurgents, according to observers, would pay no weight to the newly established peace council as the militants had described Rabbani’s erstwhile government and his supporters as ” evil and corrupt elements” and had fought against them.

Since the Taliban outfit had fought against Rabbani, Mujadadi, other Jihadi leaders and confined women to their houses as part of its ideology, it would never compromise to its principle, observers believe.

The new peace entity, High Council for Peace, has been formed in line with the recommendation of the National Consultative Peace Jirga or assembly held in last June under a giant tent in Kabul.