The first consultative meeting of the State Ministry for Peace with political parties and political trends

The first peace consultation meeting was held with the participation of representatives of 27 parties and political trends with the presence of officials of the State Ministry for Peace.
In this meeting, Abdul Khaliq Balakarzai, Deputy Minister for Coordination of Tribes of the State Ministry for Peace, called the role of political parties in the peace process important and said that political parties can work for peace with their experience and knowledge.
Emphasizing the cooperation of the parties with the government for the effectiveness of the peace process, he praised the work done by the parties and called on them to work more for peace.
He called the unity between the parties and the people and the agreement on the agenda of the peace talks important for the greater effectiveness of the peace process.
Laila Jafari, Head of Political Organizations and Civil Society Institutions of the State Ministry for Peace, thanked the representatives of political parties for their participation in the meeting and said that political parties are one of the basic foundations of democracies and therefore it is necessary to consult with them about the peace process. 
Referring to the influence of political parties among the people and the parties' direct contact with the people, she said that this could help to mobilize the people to support the peace process.
Ms. Jafari also considered the role of political parties important in bringing the voice of the people to the negotiating table.
The Head of Political Organizations and Civil Society Institutions of the State Ministry for Peace also called on political parties to cooperate and continue their cooperation with the State Ministry for Peace in consulting and participating in the peace process.
Representatives of political parties then shared their views and suggestions on the peace process with members of the meeting.
Participation of political parties in the peace process and membership of party representatives in relevant institutions, preservation of the nineteen-year achievements of the people, preservation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, citizens' rights, women's rights, freedom of speech, protection and strengthening of security forces, more work on national and international consensus for supporting peace, coordinating politicians, and paving the way for political parties to meet with the negotiating team were some of the issues discussed by political committee chairmen and party representatives.
Representatives of political parties also called for the establishment of a liaison mechanism to maintain the communication between the political parties and the State Ministry for Peace.
In the end, Abdul Khaliq Balakarzi expressed his gratitude to the leaders and representatives of the parties at the meeting and said that their views and suggestions will be unified and he will share them with higher authorities.
It is noteworthy that the next meeting with other political parties will be held in the coming days.