Ali Ahmad Jalali, former Interior Minister, spoke to TOLOnews in an exclusive interview about plans for the upcoming 2014 elections and the Taliban peace negotiation process.
Last year, Mr. Jalali announced his intention to run for the Presidency in 2014. However, he said that he now plans to put his own personal ambitions aside and pursue a coalition strategy for the elections.
"Yes, last year I said I would be contesting the Presidential election, but after negotiations with a number of political parties, I've decided that making a great team is important than nominating myself. Now, we are busy with forming a team, which will jointly nominate a Presidential candidate," Mr. Jalali said.
With less than eight months before the Presidential election, Mr. Jalali warned that if the elections are not held on time or in a free, fair and transparent manner, Afghanistan's future stability and security would be majorly at risk.
Talking about the stalled peace process, Mr. Jalali pointed out that the government's strategy has not been an inclusive one, which is why the negotiations have seen no major progress. He added that he believed the Taliban was continuing to receive funding and support from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, at a press conference held in Kabul on Saturday, President Karzai implored foreign powers not to interfer with Afghanistan's electoral process. He also urged all opposition groups, including the Taliban's leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, to participate in the upcoming Presidential election and help build a brighter future for Afghanistan.
"I will cooperate during the entire election process honestly. Once the Presidential candidates are announced, I will not interfere in the process. I request all foreign entities to avoid interfering in the electoral process. If they do so, it will not benefit them," Karzai told reporters.
"The Taliban and other opposition groups should actively participate in the election. They should showcase their power by participating in the election and not by launching terror attacks," Karzai added.
Earlier this month, the reclusive Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, released a statement online that trivialized the elections and said any faithful Afghans would not participate in them as they were a "waste of time."
Although, security still remains a major challenge for the upcoming elections, at the press conference, President Karzai assured that all security measures in order to address the issues.
The Presidential and Provincial Council elections are scheduled to take place on April 5, 2014.