Afghanistan Peace CampaignKhaama Press
November 21, 2025
Former Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani has called for national dialogue to confront the country’s crisis, saying unity depends on protecting national interests.
Ashraf Ghani has called for a national dialogue to address what he described as Afghanistan’s “deep crisis,” saying only shared national interests and values can unite the country. He said a broad internal and external conversation is needed to build a national consensus.
Ghani wrote that Afghanistan is passing through a “highly sensitive” historical moment marked by “great dangers” and new opportunities. In a note published on X, he said Afghans are demanding an “immediate and fundamental dialogue” that clarifies the boundaries of national interest and paves the way toward consensus.
He stressed that the country must urgently define the core of its national discourse, including how Afghanistan’s relationship with the world should be reset. He described the current situation, forced deportations of Afghan migrants, natural disasters and Pakistani military strikes, as “chaotic.”
Ghani said that if Afghans choose a path toward the future, political space must be opened to allow broad participation. “Our survival lies in acceptance of one another, in securing lasting peace, and balancing transformation with continuity,” he wrote.
He added that sustainable peace is the foundation of national sovereignty and future legitimacy, arguing that peace and legitimate governance are prerequisites for stability, security, economic growth and international acceptance. Afghans, he said, have been deprived of these conditions for nearly five decades.
Ghani reiterated his earlier call for a national people’s assembly to discuss political change and said he sought “nothing for myself.” However, he added that if the public demanded it, he was prepared to contribute to resolving the crisis and offering constructive pathways forward.
Former president Hamid Karzai and international partners have also repeatedly urged immediate national dialogue, but the Taliban have dismissed such appeals. Taliban officials insist the country has emerged from crisis under their rule and that Afghans should unite under their administration.
Ghani’s appeal comes amid the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, repeated border closures imposed by Islamabad, a worsening humanitarian emergency, and ongoing restrictions on girls’ education and women’s rights under the current rule.