Lawmakers and military experts said there is an urgent need for a unified perspective on both the war and the peace process among politicians within and outside the government to overcome the current crisis, adding that otherwise, reshuffling posts of security institutions will not prove effective.
Lawmakers said the management of the war is key and suggested that the government needs to review its plans for the war.
In just two days, President Ghani appointed new acting ministers for the defense and interior affairs ministries and four deputy ministers for the ministry of interior affairs.
Abdul Rahman Rahman was appointed as senior deputy minister of interior for security, Wahidullah Kalimzai as deputy minister of interior for counter-narcotics, Mohammad Farid Afzali as deputy minister of interior for training, and ex-Faryab governor Naqibullah Fayiq as the deputy minister of interior for policy and strategy.
“Individuals’ abilities and capacity should be used for security without considering who belongs to what ethnic group or political party,” said Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, the deputy speaker of the Afghan senate.
“The changes should strengthen the security structure in this critical situation,” said Arif Rahmani, an MP from Ghazni.
“One person is appointed one day and another the other day. This itself deteriorates the situation,” said Mohammadajan Mangal, a Senator.
Others believe that coordination among Afghan forces should be boosted to overcome the deteriorating situation.
“They should better protect remaining districts that are contested or where soldiers are under siege,” said Khadija Ilham, an MP from Kapisa.
But President Ghani and security chiefs have pledged that the changes in the leadership of the security and defense agencies will address the current crisis.
“We can overcome all the problems that have been imposed on us,” President Ghani said on Saturday.
“I am starting my job by using my experience from the resistance time and recent serving in the security and defense forces,” Acting Defense Minister Gen. Bismillah Mohammadi said.
Ghani in a speech on Saturday warned that “if the Taliban want enmity than they will face a serious response.”