At Congress In Peshawar Afghan Leaders Discussing Formation Of New Power In Afghanistan

At their congress, which is going on in the Pakistani city of Peshawar near the border with Afghanistan, the Afghan leaders are discussing the formation of a new power in Afghanistan after the overthrow of the Taliban regime. The congress is attended by prominent leaders of the Afghan emigration, former field commanders-mujahedins, chiefs of the Pashtun tribes and Moslem theologians (ulemas). According to the newspaper Frontier Post, the main questions which are being discussed at the congress include: the possibility of returning to the country of former King Zahir Shah as a provisional head of the state, the formation of a transitional government and the approval of a new constitution based on the Islamic norms. The newspaper says that the congress is going on under the slogan: "For Peace and National Unity of Afghanistan." It has been convened by the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan, headed by Pir Sayed Ahmad Gilani who is intended for the post of the Prime Minister in the future government of the country. Seven hundred people are taking part in the congress, including several representatives from the Taliban and also delegates from the Gulbeddin Hekmatyar Islamic Party of Afghanistan. Representatives of the ex-monarch and of the Northern Alliance are not present at the session. However, it is well known that some time ago Gilani went to Rome where Zahir Shah lives and conducted negotiations with him about the formation of a future government. Apart from that, according to Gilani, the sides agreed that it was necessary to bring into Afghanistan a peacekeeping contingent, under the aegis of the United Nations and the Islamic Conference Organization, from among the servicemen of the Moslem countries alone for the time of the activity of the transitional government, and to organize a general election in the country.