Although Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, President Hamid Karzai's First Vice President had a crucial role on elections and was supporting a particular team, he never announced his support for a particular candidate, Fahim's allies said on Tuesday.
The allies added that Fahim always persuaded Karzai to work on the formation of a national government and claim that Karzai persistently delayed his call.
Marshal Fahim, who was the former commander of the Northern Alliance and Tajik leader from Panjshir, died of a heart attack in his Kabul home on Sunday.
Following Marshal's death, discussions over his role in the elections has changed into headlines about what Fahim thought about the elections.
"Marshal told me that he kept asking Karzai to consult the next leader of the country, but Karzai delayed it. Marshal thought that time is running out and that he should support the right person for the sake of Afghanistan," former MP Mohammad Registani said. "However, he did not take an official stance because of his job as a vice president of the country."
A number of presidential candidates have said that Marshal Fahim was a supporter of free and transparent elections and believed that the political transition was a bigger challenge than the military transition.
"Our politics are very person-centered," residential candidate Daoud Sultanzoy said.
"But we should keep in mind that when a person with major political influence dies, those who support him maintain their own personal perspectives, determinations, and goals."
"Marshal had much support among the people and the Jamiat Party," another presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai said. "His supporters will cast their vote for the Jamiat candidate."
Political analysts believe that Fahim's death has put more pressure on the Karzai to ensure transparent and fair elections. They argue that with the ongoing circumstances, any abnormal move could have dire consequences for the Presidential Palace.
-Fahim's Role on Foreign Policy-
Even though Marshal Fahim played a crucial role in Afghan politics, he was very cautious in regards to foreign policy stances, according to political commentators.
Analysts urge that Fahim always pursued a moderate approach toward foreign policy. Analysts say that most of his journeys abroad --especially the few times to Germany-- were for medical purposes.
There are also some speculations that the pessimism of the western countries toward Jihadi leaders was the main factor because of which Fahim was cautious about foreign policy.
"He strived to persuade regional and ultra-regional countries to cooperate with Afghanistan, but in the foreign policy sphere he pursued a moderate, cautious approach," political analyst Yasin Habib said. "He was determined to accomplish his Islamic obligation and to prevent the country from involving in crisis with other countries."
"Marshal believed that foreign policy could move forward through the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," analyst Mohammad Ehsan Sarwar said.
"But behind the scenes, there were frequent meetings between Marshal and foreign diplomats."
Fahim's relations with Iran have been considered better compared to other regional countries. In his trip to Iran in 2011, he convinced the Iranian government to allow transfer of more than 1,000 oil tankers to Afghanistan. Fahim also had close relationships with India and Russian Federation. The Indian government has described Fahim as a valiant and brave person. He, however, had rocky relations with some foreign diplomats, including the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmai Khalilzad.
Zalmai Khalilzad had accused Iran of supporting the insurgent groups during the days when Fahim was serving as the Minister of Defense. Weeks after the assertions, Fahim travelled to Iran and said that there is no indications to show Iran's involvement in the insecurity in Afghanistan.
Some analysts believe that Fahim's relations with Washington worsened after President Bush asked the Northern Alliance to send troops to Kabul after the collapse of the Taliban regime in late 2001 and before formation of an interim government.
Some international human rights organizations have published reports criticizing Fahim. When Fahim became the vice president in 2009, the Human Rights Watch reacted with shock.
“The Human Rights Watch was shocked after receiving the report that Fahim was selected as vice president.” HRW had said in a statement.
In addition, Western media had criticized him as the vice president many times.
Many western countries have not showed any reaction to Fahim's death. Only the U.S. and the UK embassies have offered their condolences.
In a message, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham said that Marshal Fahim was a leader during the Jihad, and that he played a major role in moving Afghanistan toward moderation.
Source/Fuente: http://www.tolonews.com/elections2014/marshal-fahim-supporter-national-g...
