Don't repeat past mistakes: Former Afghan President Ghani to Taliban

Kabul [Afghanistan], March 22 : Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday called for a national dialogue in Afghanistan and in a veiled message to the ruling Taliban regime said that mistakes of the past shall not be repeated and people not excluded.
"If we repeat the past's mistakes, do not accept each other, and rely on exclusion and elimination, bad events will be repeated and the war will restart," Ghani said, adding, "The alternative way is the way of acceptance and national unity, concentration on economic evolution, and seeking national, regional and international legitimacy," Tolo News quoted.
The former President made the remarks in an audio message on the occasion of Nowruz or the Afghan new year.
He also mentioned seven areas to address the challenges facing Afghanistan. He said the country is now at a critical juncture and if the situation is not managed properly, the past's mistakes will be repeated, Tolo News reported.
Transparent management of international humanitarian aid, peace and reconciliation in the country to reach stability, a national consensus for legitimacy, paving the way for all Afghans' participation in the government, using domestic sources to become self-reliant, adopting a neutral policy, and implementing major national and regional projects were the approaches Ghani mentioned, the report said.
"It is necessary to start a national dialogue and reach a conclusion," Ghani said. "God willing, we have physical property and assets and also the capacity by which we can free ourselves from poverty," he further added.
"In principle, we should accept logical and fundamental remarks without considering who is saying it. Legally and politically Ashraf Ghani has a right to express his idea about big issues of the country. But morally, considering his past, he is not in such a position," Sayed Javad Sajjadi, an analyst was quoted by the report.
The Taliban regime representatives have not yet commented on the former President's remarks, Tolo News reported.
The remarks come amidst a heavy crackdown by the Taliban regime on people that the Taliban regime considers close to the former Afghan government.
A few days ago, the Taliban authorities detained three journalists after airing news regarding the prohibition of airing foreign drama series.
Earlier this month, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Taliban authorities have carried out far-reaching censorship and violence against Afghan media in the district and provincial centres.
At the same time, the country is going through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with UN agencies estimating that more than half of the country's population is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.