A number of Afghan politicians on Monday sharply criticized the High Peace Council (HPC) for not having taken steps to hold talks with anti-government groups.

The politicians said the peace council was established to take control of peace negotiations but instead some elements within the National Security Council (NSC) are dealing with the process.

“All the work was done through Afghanistan's intelligence and now also the National Directorate of Security and National Security Council are active and there is no sign of the peace council,” Sayed Ishaq Gailani, leader of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan said.

A number of political figures have said the High Peace Council should be dissolved, because it does not have any authority and is just symbolic.

“Government is not alone in the peace process, the foreigners also should decide whether they are happy with the peace process and is the peace process on their agenda. Once it gets included in our foreign friends agendas, then they will activate the related institutions (peace council),” Sediqullah Patman, a political affairs analyst said.

The HPC was established five years ago in order to bring insurgent groups to the peace talks tables and to conduct negotiations in this respect. Since its establishment millions of dollars has been spent on the council.

The HPC and government claim to have had one success in this time and that was in getting Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami to sign a peace accord. Hekmatyar however recently said the HPC did not play any role in his return to Kabul.

Kandahar’s police chief, General Abdul Raziq, meanwhile said last week the HPC played no role in getting over 20 Taliban commanders in Kandahar province to lay down their weapons.

The commanders recently joined the peace process and resettled in Kandahar, said Raziq.

“In this case, the peace council has no role. But the tribal elders are involved in the process which is ongoing,” said Raziq.

TOLOnews was not able to get comment from the High Peace Council in this regard.

The new HPC chief, Mohammad Karim Khalili, after taking office earlier this year, promised to bring fundamental reforms to the council, but two months later nothing has been done.

“Doubtless that part of the peace council success depends on the reforms and that changes should be made within the council from strategies and policies to its structure,” Khalili had said.

Members of the public have voiced concern over this lack of action and have called on government to stop funding the HPC.