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KABUL: A delegation of Hezb-e-Islami is expected to visit the United States of America in the near future as part of the party’s efforts to improve reconciliation process in the country, it has been reported.
Hezb-e-Islami’s chief negotiator Mohammad Amin Karim has confirmed the scheduled visit to the United State but did not elaborate further regarding the exact time frame.
Amin further added that negotiations are underway for the visit of Hezb-e-Islami delegation to the United States but such a visit is not on the top list of the party.
However, another member of the party said the visit will take place in the near future and the delegation will be led by Ghairat Baheer, the chief of the political committee of the party.
According to the reports, Hezb-e-Islami’s delegation will likely discuss the removal of the party’s members from the global list of the designated terrorists.
The United States officiasl said last week ‘they never get ahead of sanctions decisions’ on Gulbuddin Hekmatyar as a landmark peace agreement was signed between the party the Afghan government.
The State Department Press Office Director, Elizaabeth Trudeau, said “Well, as you know, we never get ahead of sanctions decisions. I won’t do that now. I think we spoke about that agreement when it was first announced out of Kabul and we welcome that. But in terms of individual actions on sanctions, I will not get ahead of that.”
This comes as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s son, Habib-ur-Rehman, earlier said the international community has agreed to lift restrictions and sanctions on Hezb-e-Islami and meetings have been organized with the key embassies in Kabul in this regard.
Hekmatyar himself was designated by the U.S. as a “global terrorist” in 2003. He was blacklisted at Washington’s request by the U.N. the same year, and has similar status with the British government. -KP
THE PASHTUN TIMES
