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Hikmatyar Refuses to Join Broad-Based Government
By Aamir Latif
ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (IslamOnline) - Former Afghan prime minister and Hizb-e-Islami chief, Gulbadin Hikmatyar, has refused to join a proposed broad-based government in Afghanistan in place of the incumbent Taliban regime, a top party official told IslamOnline Friday.
"Hikmatyar was offered the post of the prime minister in the so-called broad-based government in Afghanistan after the replacement of Taliban," the official said, adding that Hikmatyar has categorically refused the offer.
He said Hikmatyar made it clear to "Pakistani friends" who put the offer before him that, "He will never rule on the dead bodies of Afghan Muslims."
It is not clear who the "Pakistani friends" Hikmatyar was referring to are, and as to whether these "friends" met Hikmatyar in Tehran, or the offer was communicated through other means.
Hikmatyar said that according to the formula presented by the "Pakistani friends", former Afghan King Zahir Shah would be president, Hikmatyar would be prime minister, while cabinet members would be taken from factions of Hizb-e-Islami, (Hikmatyar and Maluvi Yunus Khalis), Burhanuddin Rabbani's-led Jamiat-e-Islami, Mualvi Nabi Muhammad Muhammadi's-led Nahzat-e-Islami and one or two moderate leaders of the Taliban.
"Hizb-e-Islami believes that Pakistan's military government, earlier, was not in favor of Hikmatyar, but to counter the Northern Alliance's induction in the proposed government, it has proposed this idea," the Hizb official said, adding that, "Pakistan is ready to accommodate Burhanuddin Rabbani and other Jamiat leaders who are not fighting Taliban regime."
"Hikmatyar understands the U.S. pressure on Pakistan, but he made it clear that any artificial government would not survive for a long period and he does not want to be the part of any such government," the Hizb official said.
Hikmatyar, residing in Tehran since his outer from Kabul in 1996, has already announced that he would join hands with the Taliban to fight U.S. troops if it launches a ground attack on Afghanistan.
Sources in Islamabad said that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, during his recent visit, also discussed the setting up of a broad-based government in Afghanistan, insisting on the allocation of some key posts to the Northern Alliance in the new set-up.
However, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf reiterated his government's stance that Pakistan would not support any move to bring North Alliance leaders into power, sources added.
They said the U.S. demanded the post of prime minister go to North Alliance leader General Rashid Dostum or General Mohammed Fahim. Whereas, the U.S. categorically refused to accept Hikmatyar, they added.
Zahir Shah is the common choice of both Pakistan and the U.S., but they do not agree on who woiuld be the next prime minister of the war-torn country, sources said, adding that Zahir Shah would be a "dummy" ruler, as he is not in any sort of condition to run daily government affairs due to deteriorating health.
Therefore, sources believe, the prime minister would be the real ruler. Zahir Shah has been conveyed by Pakistani authorities to use his influence on U.S. President George W. Bush's administration to not insist on a North Alliance leader for the post of prime minister as, according to Pakistan, the majority of Afghan Pashtuns would not accept a Tajik or Uzbek as their ruler, sources added.
This message, they said, was conveyed through the former king's special representative, Hidayat Ameen Arsala, who recently visited Pakistan and also met with Musharaff.
They said rumors regarding rifts within Taliban ranks, especially about Foreign Minister Abdul Wakeel Mutawakil's so-called defection were "just propaganda" aimed at giving the impression to the world that even "moderate leaders" of the Taliban also wanted the replacement of the current government.
Mutawakil, in a recent interview with al-Jazeera television, has denied any differences with Taliban's Supreme Leader Mullah Omer.
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