News Desk
KABUL: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has called for the holding of elections in Afghanistan, rejecting the current Taliban-led administration as unacceptable and urging what he described as urgent political reform, according to Afghan media reports.
The veteran political figure said the existing governing structure in Afghanistan did not reflect public aspirations and warned that continued political exclusion risked deepening instability in the country. He argued that the absence of an electoral process had weakened legitimacy and limited opportunities for meaningful participation in national decision-making.
Hekmatyar maintained that long-term stability in Afghanistan depended on bringing the population back into the political process through elections. He said reforms could no longer be delayed, framing electoral inclusion as a necessary step towards reducing internal tensions and addressing governance gaps.
His comments come against the backdrop of continued debate among opposition figures and international observers over political participation and governance in Kabul. Since the return of the Taliban to power in 2021, questions have persisted regarding the absence of a formal electoral framework and the broader structure of political representation.
The Taliban authorities have maintained control over state institutions, while critics have repeatedly raised concerns about restrictions on political pluralism and limited space for opposition activity. In this context, Hekmatyar’s remarks add to a growing chorus of voices calling for a more inclusive political arrangement.
While no formal response was immediately reported from the Taliban administration, the renewed call for elections underscores continuing uncertainty over Afghanistan’s political future and the competing visions of governance being articulated by domestic actors and external stakeholders alike.
