The Supreme State Council,  on which the government is working for the last four weeks, would focus on peace affairs as its main task, the National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib said Saturday, responding to recent concerns by politicians on the authorities and responsibilities of the council.

He reiterated that the council will not be involved in any other issue and that government leaders will handle governance affairs.

“Peace is the main topic. The issue of governance remains in its place because the Constitution is there when it comes to governance,” Mohib said.

The idea to form the council has been met with reactions from political leaders and analysts who oppose its formation and say that the High Council for National Reconciliation is already there to deal with peace affairs.

Echoing such remarks, a senior aide to Abdullah Abdullah said the Supreme State Council should be involved in all issues of national importance while the reconciliation should lead the peace efforts.

“If the idea is that the supreme state council will focus only on the peace process, it will not be like that, because there is the High Council for National Reconciliation that conducts peace affairs,” said Assadullah Saadati, the deputy head of the High Council for National Reconciliation.

“When you establish an entity as the Supreme State Council, it means that it will deal with a set of major national issues in the political, security, and economic arenas,” Saadati said.

The council is also faced with criticism about the number of its members. The government has said that the council will have at least 21 members, including four women. However, the Hizb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has suggested a smaller number for members of the council.

Saadati said that the government should address concerns raised by politicians on the council to establish it through a major national consensus.

The efforts to form the council come as violence remains high in the country and the peace negotiations in Doha have been paused over since April.