The court dismissed Hekmatyar as rebellious and said Karzai's government 100 percent Islamic

Husbanullah Mutawakel, IOL Afghanistan Correspondent

KABUL, December 31 (IslamOnline) – The Supreme Court issued a fatwa  branding as rebellious any person who fights against the government of President Hamid Karzai.

This came after Afghan Pashtun leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar said on Wednesday, December 25, that his forces would step up "holy war" to target international forces in Afghanistan.

He pressed for booting the "foreign troops" from Afghanistan and establishing an elected Islamic government in the country.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, December 29, the supreme court president said that scholars agreed that whoever fights against the government of Karzai is rebellious and that the Karzai's government is 100 percent Islamic.

He exhorted Afghan immigrants to return to the country and contribute to the re-construction of the war-torn country.

The judge warned them against opening the door for those who want to wreak havoc on Afghanistan and urged jihad leaders to join the government as soon  as possible.

On Saturday, December 28, the court issued a statement branding Hekmatyar as rebellious and asserting that Karzai's government is legal and legislative.

According to the statement, Karzai's government maintained its legitimacy from the Afghan people and its legality from recognition by world countries.

The government is serving the Afghan people in accordance with Islamic shariaa, said the statement, adding that the government set up more than  390 legitimate courts across the country to rule according to the Islamic shariaa.

The legitimate courts support Karzai's government and it is impermissible to fight against it, said the statement.

It said that fighting the government is religiously impermissible and runs against the country's national interests.

In a Pashtu-language message distributed in Pakistan by his followers, Hekmatyar said "Hezb-e-Islami will fight our jihad [holy struggle] until foreign troops are gone from Afghanistan and Afghans have set up an Islamic government."

On Thursday, September 5, Hekmatyar denied he had declared jihad against Karzai's government and that he only supported Islamic resistance against foreign troops.