President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday called for the implementation of the water treaty signed by former Afghan Prime Minister Musa Shafiq and former Iranian premier Amir Abbas Huwaida in 1972.

Speaking at an event to mark the death anniversary of former prime minister Shafiq, Ghani said: “Despite the fact that Musa Shafiq was under pressure while signing the treaty, he believed that regional and neighboring countries should realize their common interests [with Afghanistan] and this treaty was for friendship.”

“He [Shafiq] believed that the treaty would bring stability to Afghanistan. Now is the time to enforce the treaty which is in favor of Afghans as well as in favor of peace and stability in the country.”

Ghani said Shafiq was a national figure who had influence in Afghanistan’s foreign policy.

He said the former prime minister had also played an important role in drafting the 1964 constitution.

“Musa Shafiq had a multi-dimensional personality. He respected the law and rule of law,” he added.

At the same event, acting Foreign Affairs Minister Salahuddin Rabbani called Shafiq an effective figure of the democracy decade in Afghanistan.

“Musa Shafiq emphasized the need for good relations and cooperation with neighboring countries. The treaty was one of the best,” he said.

Shafiq was born in 1929 in Kabul. He did his higher education in Egypt and then his post graduate in Columbia in the United States.

He was a university lecturer and then head of the legal department at the justice ministry. He also worked as deputy justice minister, foreign affairs minister and finally prime minister of Afghanistan.

His term ended in 1973 after a coup by former president Daud Khan.

He was hanged in 1979 during Noor Mohammad Taraki’s regime.