All options on Table after May 22, Atmar Warns Government
M. Hanif Atmar, a presidential candidate, warned the government Monday during a press conference in Kabul, saying that the continuation of the current administration’s terms is unacceptable after May 22 and that Ashraf Ghani must step down.
M. Hanif Atmar, a presidential candidate, warned the government Monday during a press conference in Kabul, saying that the continuation of the current administration’s terms is unacceptable after May 22 and that Ashraf Ghani must step down.
Addressing a press conference under the title of “the end of government work and necessity of a caretaker”, Mr Atmar accused the government and president Ghani of individualism, violating the laws and imposing pressure on electoral bodies and supreme court, warning that president Ghani has no legitimacy after May 22 according to the constitution.
“The extension of president’s tenure after May 22 was predicted in the state of emergency, not in normal situations like the present,” Atmar said. stressing that “The government has forcefully convinced the supreme court to make such an interpretation of the law, while this is the duty of a constitutional review commission rather than the supreme court.”
“Putting the basis on a false tradition in the past, is itself wrong and its continuation must be prevented,” he added.
Mr Atmar also warned that if the government does not step down after May 22, it will exacerbate the crisis in the country.
According to him, president Ghani has lost the public confidence in holding a transparent election, and there is no guarantee that the elections will not be postponed again and again.
The presidential candidates warned that if the government does not step down after May 22, all political options, from civil protests to political pressures, are on the table.
The government, however, said in response to the demand of presidential candidates’ council that their demand has no legal basis.
All attended candidates in the conference called on president Ghani and Dr Abdullah to stand down after May 22 and do not hurt the legitimacy of the government.
