Who is advising and who is opposing Karzai?

President’s Karzai’s favorite “Jehadi leaders and national personalities” were in the Aarg on 12 November to advise the increasingly isolated president on when to convene the Traditional Loya Jirga (TLJ). The TLJ shall be convened on the date as decided previously and there will be no delay, said President Karzai in a statement issued by his office after the meeting.

Except Mr. Karzai the TLJ has been opposed by the following entities;

 Wolesi Jirga

 Dr Abdulla’s party

  Dostum-Masoud-Muhaqiq’s party

Atmar-etc’s party

Moreover and per their style, the Taliban have expressed their opposition to the TLJ beyond politics: We’ll kill anyone who would attend or support the TLJ, the Taliban’s-never-seen Emir, Omar, said in a statement in Urdu, Dari, Pashto, English and Arabic!

The TLJ, many MPs argue, also stands in violation of constitutional principles. The Afghanistan Constitution stipulates that any Loya Jirga must be summoned by two-thirds of the Wolesi Jirga – not unilaterally by the President.

So who exactly are the “Jehadi leaders and national personalities” that advise Mr. Karzai to hold the TLJ regardless?

Ustad Sayaf, Sebghatullah Mujadidi and Pir Guillani – the last three leaders of the first Mujahideen generation – may find it convenient to rubberstamp President Karzai’s beleaguered policies. The trio will likely perform the inauguration and conclusion prayers of the TLJ – adding a pinch of Islam and traditionalism into the bizarre gathering of 2030 delegates from around the country.

Mr. Karzai has made evident, the TLJ would not have the authority to approve or disapprove any legal document – it would be a mere consultative gathering. I doubt this though. There seems to be something in the wind. The TLJ is set to last for 3-4 days in which delegates will have to do more than ranting on the stage.

Thus far US officials have beaten about the bush when it comes to the TLJ and its vague mandate. However the only and main issue in the TLJ’s agenda is “US-Afghanistan Strategic Relations Beyond 2014”.  

Amidst Afghanistan’s looming security and political crises it’s the worst time to discuss long-term strategic ties in a democratic and transparent manner. I wish the US and Karzai had done this in 2004-2005.