Abdul Latif Pedram, the leader of the National Congress Party (NCP), on Monday raised concerns over Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s recent remarks and said the Hizb-e-Islami leader’s comments give the impression that Afghanistan could be heading for another civil war.

Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Pedram said that the recent developments in the country indicate that Afghanistan was moving toward another bloody civil war, however he stated that the U.S would be the key player behind such a move. 

Pedram said the return of Hekmatyar was a U.S plan and stated that Washington wanted to create a mono-ethnic government in Afghanistan. 

“The U.S wants to establish its hegemonic government in Afghanistan and it (U.S) will maintain such a government with the help of similar groups which have returned to the country,” said Pedram, referring to the arrival of Hekmatyar.

The NCP leader said the murder last week of Assadullah Kohzad, one of the party’s senior members in Baghlan, had been a politically motivated assassination. 

“The incident happened after our last gathering about the Durand Line and the establishment of a federal system in Afghanistan; the assassination in Baghlan was a political incident,” he added.

Neither Hizb-e-Islami nor the U.S embassy in Kabul would comment on Pedram’s claims.

Meanwhile a number of parliamentarians said that Hekmatyar’s move to join the peace process should not be ignored.

“Peace brings blessings, let the peace which is achieved work and do not evaluate it from a negative point of view,” said MP Mullah Tarakhail Mohammadi.

“We want all criticisms against the coming of Hizb-e-Islami and slogans which are chanted for maintaining justice to come to an end,” said another MP Habiba Sadat.

Pedram meanwhile once again said he recognized the Durand Line as Afghanistan’s official border with Pakistan.

Pedram reiterated that the Durand Line was the official border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but said that those who show sensitivity toward the issue in fact represent a certain ethnicity that pursues to tighten its grip on power and monopolize it.