- 05 Jul 2012
Nato supply resumption a boon for Afghan Taliban - 13 Jun 2012
America and the Haqqani network - 04 Jul 2012
The changing Taliban
- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.1
Alerts
Taliban chief Omar can run for president: Karzai
Afghan president calls on Taliban supreme leader to give up fighting and run for president.
Afghan president calls on Taliban supreme leader to give up fighting and run for president. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai called Thursday on Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar to give up fighting his US-backed government in return for the chance to run for president of the war-torn nation.
Mullah Omar, the one-eyed Taliban leader who has been on run since the United States toppled his regime in late 2001, is one of the world’s most wanted men and is leading a Taliban insurgency aimed at ousting Karzai.
Karzai has repeatedly called on Omar and other insurgents fighting against his administration to renounce violence and accept peaceful reintegration.
“I repeat my call on all Afghans, those who aren’t the puppets of others and have (only) issues with us at home – they’re welcome for any talks,” he told a news conference.
“Mullah Mohammad Omar can come inside Afghanistan anywhere he wants to. He can open political office for himself but he should leave the gun.
“He along with his friends can come and create his political party, do politics, become a candidate himself for the elections. If people voted for him, good for him, he can take the leadership in his hand,” Karzai said.
The Taliban have repeatedly turned down Karzai’s peace offers and earlier this year withdrew from exploratory talks with the United States in Qatar.
Reader Comments (38)
World Latest Stories
Afghanistan suspends security pact talks with US amid Taliban peace process
Karzai blames inconsistent US strategy.
Rohani once spoke approvingly of hiding Iran atomic work
Ultimate decisions on Iran's nuclear program will remain in the hands of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Pakistan's refugee population 1.6 million: UNHCR report
The largest share of Pakistan’s refugees comes from Afghanistan.
LoC violation: Indian shelling leaves 2 students injured
The injured were taken to a local hospital for medical aid.
Turkey PM claims victory after protest crackdown
Confident he has weathered the storm, he warned against any resurgence of the protests.
Rousseff salutes Brazil protests, cities cut bus fares
Monday's demonstrations were the latest in a flurry of protests in the past two weeks.
Pakistan pushed Afghan insurgents to the table: Experts
Experts say move comes from the newly-elected government which faces its own battle with extremists at home.
Welcoming negotiations: Freeing Taliban prisoners was crucial for Qatar talks
Taliban commanders released by Pakistan will be part of negotiations.
China’s advice to Pakistan: peaceful development
Vice President Li Yuanchao says South Asia capable of rapid growth.
Four Americans killed in attack on Afghan base: US official
The deaths were caused by insurgent "indirect fire," either mortars or rockets, says the official
Recent Slideshows
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2013 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? [email protected]
He is a Pakistani citizen now. I am sure Afghanistan don’t have a dual nationality bill do they?
Recommend
Karzai or Mullah Omar. What is the difference? Poor Afghans have suffered under both.
Recommend
Big,bold audacious offer.
Recommend
karzai is saying that without american consent?
Recommend
Good suggestion
Recommend
A good sign that Karazi is moving towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict – brother Mullah Omar should explore this challenge. The stake holders should leave the Afghans to come to some agreement for the sake of their people. My advice is for the explonatory talks to resume in Qatar. I can help in this process since I have seen the working of the Taliban in 1996 on my last tour in Kandhar to find out the facts. My advice is to explore the possiblities of peace.
Recommend
Are we winning the war in Afghanistan?
Recommend
Democracy is not in islam he will die as a shaheed against USA and never accept the democracy. because democracy declines kalma
Recommend
“I repeat my call on all Afghans, those who aren’t the puppets of others” oh the irony
Recommend
@vasan:
If Afghanistan can offer olive branch to Taleban monsters, whats wrong if Pakistan has links with TTP? Both are two sides of a coin.
Recommend
@mohsin:
He can not move even his finger without US consent
Recommend
History is repeating. Once karzai and other mujahideen were in pakistan against Dr Najeeb’s(previous afghan president) government and Dr najeebullah was begging them for negociation and peace but Mujahideen rejected that and toppled his government and then Taliban came. Now Karzai is in centre begging for Taliban to start negociaton and Taliban is rejecting the demand. As an ordinary Afghan I think taliban should not reiterate the smae mistake mujahideen did and should start peace talk so that the whol region enjoy peaceful life.
Recommend
@Muslim: Well you commented only to provoke another debate on this forum. Democracy is there in every religion in my view and I think ET moderators should be wary of the comments like these
Recommend
@Awans: why are you afraid of a debate?
Recommend
@Afghanistan: Great observation and true feelings. I guess I have not seen such a realistic and refreshing comment on ET!
Recommend
@Muslim: Don’t worry brother. They clerics are smart enough to bring democracy back in Islam if it benefits them. Noor party of Egypt is one good example, I guess!
Recommend
antanu g
You have stated correctly. What is preventing TTP to open political parties or align with the religious parties to contest elections. Why are they killing police and army personnel. Why are they threatening the state institutions. Now that elections in Pak are due next year, what is preventing TTP to start the political process instead of killing and boasting about it. If they continue to kill others using suicide bombers and hit-and-run tactics like cowards, they need to be eliminated. No two opinions on that.
I hope u get my point now atleast.
Recommend
I think Mullah Omer should accept the offer and run for the Presidential election, If he won he should implement his Sharia Law in Afghanistan…None will object because he will be a democratically elected leader then.
Recommend
Yes he will always vouch for AK47 to a ballot box, any day !
One simply is not going to be able to teach democracy to these people !
Recommend
I am surprised at such naive comments about Mullah Omar running for office or TTP engaging in a political process being expressed by the seemingly intelligent readers of ET.
Mullah Omar is never going to surface from hiding one day and tarnish his image by participating in the political process neither is the TTP suddenly going to engage in a political dialogue with the establishment.
This whole facade of terrorism, strategic depth, the deep state and all the smoke and mirrors that generate billions of $ and perpetuate this game would be over if said actors were to join mainstream politics. The establishment won’t allow this to happen. Wake up people. In chaos there is order and the status quo must be maintained by any means necessary.
Recommend
Why do you forget us? Do you have any intelligent idea why do we keep pouring in billions of $? Do you think we are stupid!?Recommend
hoping against hope….unluckily the anarchy seems to persist on the Afghan soil
Recommend
@Awans
Express Tribune has the most biased moderators I have ever seen. They censor every single comment of mine without any reason, yet they allow Indians and Afghans to post hate comments all the time.
Recommend
It does not lie in Mr Karzai’s province to make this offer to Mullah Omar. The latter is one of the most wanted men in the world. Even the US wants him, as it wanted OBL. How can Mr Karzai offer that Mullah Omar, if he abjures violence, may run for president? The Mullah will run the risk of being arrested and handed over to the US. There may even be an Interpol warrant against him, although I am not sure about this. V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India, 12 July 2012, 1915 IST
Recommend
@KK
Anarchy seems to persist on the Afghan soil. I beg to differ, anarchy and controlled chaos seems to persist on Pakistani soil under the guise of a weak democratic government controlled by the military.
Afghans are ready and willing to sort out their problems but the patron client system set up by Pakistan and Iran to advance their agendas persist, splitting Afghans into factions in order to keep the Afghans weak but not for long.
Afghans have learned valuable lessons in the last thirty years and once the current of aging warlords, drug lords, proxy agents and carpetbaggers are eliminated by natural or unnatural causes normalcy and progress will return as the new generation of Afghans growing up now and the generation that will reap the benefits of the Strategic Pact Agreement 2014-2024 will bring necessary changes and cleanse the country of said scourge. Recommend
Now that’s funny. Not in a good or bad way. In a being caught off guard not expecting it way. It would certainly be interesting. Though I can’t see it happening. Even if Omar’s interest got sparked I can’t imagine he’d get a lot of support amongst the Taliban and other militants. Or if he did get the support and tried to run but lost they’d just start up the killings again. At the very least it’s one of few statements Karzai has ever made that probably scored him some real points amongst certain groups.
Recommend
Karzai is desperate
Recommend
2014 is around. US is leaving for good (decision made in 2011 by Obama without knowledge of Pentagon)
Karzai now is becoming desperate by the day
Recommend
@Zalmai
I agree its a war of interests in this region……by the way who articulated the so called Strategic Pact Agreement 2014-2024……..and how much we will hing hopes on ‘will’, ifs and buts……
Recommend
@Muslim
Not being an expert on Shariah, I can’t say whether democracy is Islam or not. But without the vote of the people he wants to rule, how can a ruler claim to have the right to rule.? I mean it’s not as if God is directly coming forward and appointing individual as rulers / leaders.
And what do you mean when you say “because democracy declines kalma”. Democracy just means rule by the people. A democratic government could implement Islamic laws or secular laws or any other kind of laws.
Recommend
I wonder why Karzai, installed puppet of US, is repeatedly exhorting Taliban to give-up guns and start negotiation. History is with Taliban, they never give-up guns. And, US and its allies of 40 countries are with Karzai and still you are begging Taliban to negotiate. Taliban, according to some liberals, don’t deserve to live, then why inviting them to run your country. Are you kidding?????????? Liberals speak up….
Recommend
@American:
no one is afraid. but debating here is like banging ones head against the wall :)
Recommend
Mr Mullah Omar, would have persued to path of power through democracy/vote , if he was atleast 50% sure of winning the election. He is not a fool. The reason why he wont take that route is becvause , he is not confident of winning the majority in Afganistan and the other point is that in democracy, you have to satisfy the electorate, be accountable to them or else they will vote you out. That is too much trouble.
Recommend
@Prius: “2014 is around. US is leaving for good (decision made in 2011 by Obama without knowledge of Pentagon)”
You are so conditioned by the Pakistani system to see the armed forces as a parallel institution that you are not even aware that what you have is an aberration not the norm.
In most democratic countries the state has 3 co-equal institutions with checks and balance : legislature, executive and judiciary. Armed forces are part of the excutive and report through the defense ministry. They are not an independent organ of the state.
Thus Pentagon is part of the executive which reports to the President. Pentagon needs to keep Obama informed and needs his approval not the other way around.
Recommend
It’s unfortunate how many religious superstitious and hypocritical Pakistanis, and indeed the dogmatic Pak state, who justify violent characters for their nationalist hegemonic gains, delusionally support and protect this Kharjite criminal, and stupidly anoint him as caliph (onto Afghanistan mostly), after all the munafiq criminal activities in the name of religion he and his Taliban committed, such as oppressing and suppressing his people, women and minorities, giving refuge to Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden, killings of Afghan and Pakistani innocents, via kidnappings, shootings and remote controlled, non-suicide and suicide bombings in masjids, tribal homes, bazaars, etc.
Recommend
Well said bigsaf and gp65. How can one support mulah omar the guy who lives happily in shadoed and as his pal maybe spends his time watching porn while his devotees are being killed like flies and his followers blow up scores of innocent souls on both sides if the durand line. This mullah had harmed islam enough. We need leaders who care about the wellbeing of the people like the great caliphs did.
Recommend
wait, i thought this was supposed to be a joke but karzai seems for real -_-
Recommend
Under US’ regime’s umbrella????????
Recommend