All preparations and arrangements for the consultative Loya Jirga are near completion, the media and public relations committee of the Jirga said on Thursday. 2,000 delegates will attend the Jirga.

The Afghan government has allocated 330 million Afs for the Jirga.

The Afghan government has declared Saturday a public holiday in Kabul and this could be extended if the Jirga is prolonged.

The Loya Jirga will be inaugurated by President Ashraf Ghani.

The Jirga is expected to discuss the fate of 400 Taliban prisoners and the peace process. 

“In this Jirga, information will be provided to the delegates about the 400 Taliban prisoners to find out who they are and what is the scale of their crimes…there are smugglers and kidnappers among them including those involved in plotting major attacks such as the attack in Zanbaq Square--these (accused perpetrators) are among these 400 people,” said Rezwan Murad,

Meanwhile, in the western province of Herat, a number of civil society institutions gathered in protest and strongly criticized the huge amount of money being spent on the Jirga.

“We are against the Loya Jirga in Kabul, because our country is very poor and can't afford Afs330 million for three days,” said Feroz Ahmad, a civil society activist in Herat.

“No consultations were made about the previous requests of the Taliban,” said Halim Kazimi, a resident in Herat.

The Afghan government has deployed thousands of troops for the security of the Jirga.

Delegates to the Jirga have been transferred to Kabul on civilian and military airplanes.

“The Afghan Ministry of Defense has undertaken all necessary security arrangements for the Jirga members, the process of transferring members of the Consultative Loya Jirga to Kabul has been completed,” said Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.

Previously, there were reports that the chairmanship of the Jirga would be carried out in line with the structure of the previous Jirga, but now there are some reports that the chairmanship this time will be handed to Abdullah Abdullah, the head of High Council for National Reconciliation, or to Masoom Stanekzai, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

Purpose of the Jirga?

The Afghan government is convening the consultative Loya Jirga, the grand assembly of Afghan elders and representatives, to find a consensus on a decision about the release of 400 Taliban prisoners who are accused of crimes including murder, drug trafficking and abduction, a senior government official said on Monday.

The prisoners were named on a 5,000-member list handed to the government by the Taliban. The Afghan government has so far released 4,600 prisoners on this list but has refrained from releasing the remaining 400. President Ghani on Friday said he does not have the constitutional authority to release the 400 prisoners and, therefore, will convene a Loya Jirga to decide on the inmates.

However, legal experts have said that neither the president nor the Loya Jirga has the authority to pardon, which is known as HAQQU ‘L-ABD.

“No one, neither the president nor the Loya Jirga has the right to pardon someone’s crimes,” said legal expert Rohullah Sakhizad.

But on Wednesday the Afghan government will seek suggestions for the fate of 400 Taliban prisoners from the Loya Jirga.

Previously the Taliban said that any delay in the release of the prisoners will mean a continuation of the war.

The Afghan government has not made public any further details about the Jirga and its committees and its duration.