Importance of law on political parties Bakhtar news agency (in Dari)
Kabul, Afghanistan August 25, 2003 00:01

Formation of the political parties, which are not against the interests of the people and society and
which do not harm stability in the country, could be a step towards democracy.

The political commentator of Bakhtar Information Agency writes: The law on parties in the country is
about to be approved. Most of the political parties and organizations, which consider themselves to be
involved in the political affairs of the country in the future, are getting ready to become legal and form
their political parties. The past experiences explicitly reveal the fact that a number of political
parties brought devastation and destitution on the country and the people in view of their dependence on
foreigners and for achieving their own political goals.

The justice minister of the country has explicitly announced that any political activity prior to the
approval of the law on parties will be considered illegal and will be forbidden.

A party which has been recently established under the name of the United National Party of Afghanistan is an
illegal party in the first place, as the law on parties has not yet been approved, signed and
enforced. On top of that, the past deeds of a number of members of the party are under question and they
would face a strong reaction by the people and society.

The Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, in view of the present situation, which has provided all the
possibilities for a better future in the country, considers the approval of the law on parties, within
the framework of the 1343 [1964] Constitution, as an important step. It also considers the move towards a
political system based on the absolute will of the people to be linked to mass participation and
political pluralism in the country. The approval of the law on parties, in the near future, is also
considered as another step towards democracy based on the fundamental principle that society will from now
on function within the framework of legality and proper political climate and that the future
political, social, economic and cultural activities will be based on the constitution and the interests of
the people and society.

As a matter of fact, the political parties in the past, such as the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
which was supporting the former Soviet Union, have caused the devastation, destitution, martyrdom and disablement
of thousands of people in our country and society. These are all the clear examples of their unprincipled
activities over the past two decades.

The Afghan nation, in addition to serious expectations from the swift development of the situation in the
interest of peace and stability, has found the main avenue of its activity and never wants to witness the
emergence of such parties. Still we should wait what the law on parties will say and how it will normalize
the trend for the establishment and growth of parties. However, ideas are never condemned, but deeds can be.

What makes the persecuted Afghan nation believe, more than in any other time, in the existing realities, the
goal of achieving national unity, lasting peace and social justice, and the fact that Afghanistan has said
good-bye to crisis and tension, is to follow up steps that had not only ensured the political independence
and national honours of the country and had driven the aggressors and occupiers out of the country, but which
also prevent war, bloodshed and insecurity.

It is obvious that the government has made every possible effort to workout plans and programmes, which
are beneficial for the interest of people and ensure lasting stability in the country. The provision of an
environment for political activities by the political parties and organizations - if they uphold
transparency - is among the priorities of the government.

How can we shorten the distance between deeds and words?

The multiplicity of political parties, after the law on parties is approved and signed, shortens the route
to achieving true democracy and free elections based on the will of people and political participation.

However, what can strongly strengthen the belief among the people in the current realities and achieving a
prosperous future is supremacy of national and social interests which needs the cooperation of not only the
political parties but also of the each and every individual in the country, including the present and
future intelligentsia, experts and scholars in the country.