The Afghan government has warned political parties engaging in military activities or being involved with armed groups, that their status as such will be terminated.
This warning form the Afghan Ministry of Justice on Tuesday added that no political party was above the law.
This follows in the wake of armed groups linking themselves to Jamaat-e-Islami and Junbish-e-Melli and who have clashed with each other in north of the country.
Both parties have denied links with of any armed groups.
According to the law political parties may not be created on a tribal basis nor zones. In addition, they may not engage in language, party aims or formations that are of a military or paramilitary nature.
“Any party that has military relations with or links to foreign sources, will have to contend with the Afghanistan government and judicial institutions that have the authority to disqualify parties that have military branches,” the Head of the secretariat of lawyers’ union, Ainuddin Bahaduri, said.
Armed clashes between Jamaat-e-Islami and Junbish-e-Melli party supporters in the North have shown that those two parties do have some armed supporters. Both parties have however said that armed groups who disturbed the public order in the city, did not belong to them. The Junbish-e-Melli party called for disarmament of the armed groups.
“Those who are threatening the security situation, have never belonged to us. We ask the government that if armed groups were to threaten the security of the state, members of such groups should be detained and legal action taken against them in accordance with the law. We believe in our party’s democratic values, not the values of bullies,” said Bashir Ahmad Tayang spokesman for Junbish-e-Melli party.
“The Jamaat-e-Islami party operates on the basis of Afghanistan constitution and we do not believe in military activities,” said Waqif Hakimi spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami.
Jamaat-e-Islami and Junbish-e-Melli parties are led by First Vice-President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum and Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.
Recent armed clashes between supporters of the two parties in the Faryab province, have caused the death and wounding of some of their supporters. Dozens of civilians have also been killed and wounded.
“If we found that any party has armed groups, there should be no doubt that such a party will face legal action,” said President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman, Dawa Khan Menapal.
Afghan law states that if a party’s supporters engaged in armed activities, such a political party will be declared to be an armed party. Declarations of that nature will be detrimental to those parties. Their political activities and their participation in the democratic process will be banned. Both national and international restrictions will be imposed on their party’s leaders.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/26010-state-warns-political-parties-against-armed-activities
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