In his Eid message, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, said that genuine and unconditional dialogue among all parties is the only path to lasting peace in the country.
Citing Afghanistan’s history of conflict, he warned that a return to “violent methods of the past and renewed reliance on foreigners” would plunge the country back into previous crises.
Hekmatyar stressed the damaging effects of foreign intervention, the need for national consensus and the importance of sincere engagement among political actors to achieve sustainable peace.
He emphasised that political power should be transferred peacefully through the people’s vote and collective will, adding that no individual or group should seize authority through force, coups or foreign backing.
“It is the religious and human right of the nation to entrust divine leadership to someone worthy of the responsibility,” Hekmatyar wrote. “We will only accept a leader, and refrain from opposing him, if the majority of people recognise him as such.”
He called for the establishment of an Islamic system in Afghanistan, rooted in religious principles. He also criticised recent remarks by some former Afghan leaders and urged the rejection of violent tactics.
He condemned what he described as “the absolute despotism of a tribe, family or individual,” and, reflecting on Afghanistan’s history of coup-driven regimes, said that preventing future disasters would require resisting threats and ending violence.
Those in or vying for power, he said, must avoid “bloody and inhumane” means of attaining or holding authority.
Hekmatyar also called for the creation of a council that genuinely represents the people, asserting that Afghans must have a direct and decisive role in key national issues including domestic policy, foreign relations, war and peace.
He argued that no government should unilaterally decide such matters and noted the current absence of a constitution. A proper constitution, he said, should clearly define the country’s political and social system, as well as the rights and powers of its institutions.
“The only legitimate body to draft and approve such a constitution,” he wrote, “is a council elected by the people, one that represents national consensus and the collective will of the nation.”
