Amid political tension between the National Unity Government and Jamiat-e-Islami Party of Afghanistan, senior government officials at a gathering in Nangarhar on Friday called on people to come together and support government “at this critical juncture”.

Deputy head of National Security Advisor Din Mohammad Jurat told the gathering that people should mobilize against those “who have taken hostage the nation”.

“By supporting government, the hands of those who work for their own interests will be cut off from the nation's fate,” said Jurat. 

At the same event, Nangarhar Governor Gulab Mangal asked the people to support the central government. 

“We together should remove all those problems which have been promoted among our people by internal, regional and international enemies and we work for a peaceful and developed Afghanistan,” Mangal said. 

Other speakers at the ceremony pointed out to recent political tensions in the country and said the disagreements – between government and Jamiat – must be resolved through talks and peaceful means. 

“Today, too, the foreign and regional countries’ intelligence agencies are trying to divide us (Afghans) to south and north, west and east,” religious scholar Mawlawi Sardar said. 

“We support government and the president (Ashraf Ghani) and we reject his political oppositions; no matter who they are,” tribal elder Zmarai Ahmadzai said. 

This comes after a gathering in Kabul was held few weeks ago which criticized government over some certain issues and supported Jamiat-e-Islami party.