Mohaqiq: Khalilzad Was Behind the Imposition of Ashraf Ghani’s Government

Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Hezb-e Wahdat-e Islami Afghanistan, has reacted to recent remarks by Zalmay Khalilzad about Ashraf Ghani, saying that if Ghani was truly a “corrupt and cowardly” figure, the United States would not have placed him in power twice through direct political backing and external pressure.

Mohaqiq claimed that in both 2014 and 2020, the United States directly intervened politically and even used threats of military pressure to prevent Abdullah Abdullah’s electoral team from forming a parallel government, ultimately paving the way for the continuation of Ashraf Ghani’s administration.

He also accused Zalmay Khalilzad of “deception and irresponsibility,” stating that the United States had played with the fate of the people of Afghanistan.

Following Afghanistan’s disputed presidential elections in 2014 and 2020, deep disagreements emerged between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah over the election results. In both instances, a U.S.-brokered political agreement was reached to divide power between the two sides.