As preparations are in “full swing” for the Grand Consultative Jirga on Peace scheduled for April 29, the number of politicians and critics who have boycotted the event is growing and some of them have questioned the legitimacy of the gathering in which almost 3,000 delegates will attend to discuss the future of peace in Afghanistan.  

So far, nine presidential candidates, including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, have boycotted the Jirga and some of them have called it a “waste of time” and an “election campaign” by President Ashraf Ghani.

Sources said that the Hizb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has also boycotted the Jirga. 

“Our government’s move in this regard (Jirga), unfortunately, is convincing to none of us and that this Jirga will not have any legitimacy on its decisions,” former National Security Advisor and Presidential Candidate Mohammad Haneef Atmar said.

A spokesman for Abdullah’s Office, Fraidoon Khwazoon, said the chief executive, his team and his advisors will not attend the Jirga.

“Considering that half of the government, prominent political parties, political leaders and presidential candidates are not attending, the Afghan people can judge where the Jirga’s legitimacy is,” said Khwazoon.

“Any decision they will make will not benefit the country but will affect the country because they (delegates) work for a person, not for the people,” said Abdul Hasib, an advisor to Abdullah. 

A number of civil society activists, meanwhile, said the Jirga has “election campaign” motives.

“It is a consultative Jirga and is mostly for implementing the demands of a specific election team,” said Sayed Maroof Hashimi, head of Nationalists Movement of Afghanistan.

The remarks come as President Ghani met with Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, a former jihadi leader, at his residence in Paghman district of Kabul on Saturday and discussed issues around the peace Jirga. 

Sources said that Ghani had asked Sayyaf to chair the Jirga, however, government has not confirmed this.

According to Ghani, the Jirga will be the most inclusive Jirga in the history of Afghanistan.

“I hope what Indian ambassador told me turns true and that we should have the most inclusive Jirga in Afghanistan’s modern history,” said Ghani at a gathering this week.

Meanwhile, members of the peace Jirga’s organizing committee said they are in talks with those who have boycotted the event to “convince” them to attend the gathering. 

“So far, we have not reached an agreement. The meetings are continuing by the Presidential Palace and also the organizing committee wanted to have a meeting with the chief executive Abdullah Abdullah’s office, but unfortunately, they did not accept,” said Sayed Ali Kazimi, spokesman of the organizing committee. 

According to the committee members, most of the delegates have arrived in Kabul. 

“Based on the Jirga’s agenda, on the first day, President (Ghani) and head of the Jirga’s organizing committee (Umer Daudzai) will address the delegates and the administrative board will be appointed,” said Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail, deputy head of the committee.

“In the afternoon of the first day, the committees will start their activities. On the second day, the committees will continue their work and on the third day, the heads of the committees will deliver their reports to the delegates and on the fourth day, the Jirga will be concluded and a statement will be declared,” Amarkhail explained.

Some of the delegates, who are in Kabul, stressed the need for retaining the achievements of the past 18 years in the peace talks.

“I have been chosen from amongst the women to raise their voice,” said Malalai Zarani, a delegate from Badakhshan. 

“Our first red line is to have a system and a strong military,” said Hassan Kazimi, a delegate from Paktia.

“The international community should hear and see that these 3,000 delegates are tired of war,” said Abdul Rahman Yusufi, a delegate from Herat.