The alliance, launched on Thursday, said it aims to improve governance, create jobs, ensure the holding of transparent elections, and maintain security across the country. President Ghani said the coalition should help the government resolve key national issues. KABUL: Key Afghan government officials and major political parties have forged an alliance in a bid to challenge any move by President Ashraf Ghani to extend his term, in the face of growing concerns about elections being postponed. The Grand Coalition of Afghanistan includes First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, who recently returned from 14 months in exile, Second Deputy Executive Chief Mohammad Mohaqiq, Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, key regional strongmen and former Cabinet ministers. Dostum’s unexpected participation in the alliance comes amid reports of a stalemate in talks with Ghani over the release of one of the vice president’s commanders. His arrest a few weeks ago sparked massive anti-government protests in the north, and led to Dostum’s return to put an end to them. The alliance, launched on Thursday, said it aims to improve governance, create jobs, ensure the holding of transparent elections, and maintain security across the country. The coalition “marks a major display of unity in which Afghanistan’s core political and social forces have converged to bring democratic changes in accordance with our peoples’ will and needs, for a democratic, all-inclusive and stable Afghanistan,” Rabbani said. The alliance said its focus is primarily on “growing instability, poverty and ethnic divisions” in the country, among other issues. Ghani recently said he will run for a second term in next year’s presidential election, which will be followed by long-delayed parliamentary polls. With the Taliban gaining ground, and the Ghani administration losing its writ over hundreds of polling stations due to rising violence and deepening divisions within the government, many believe that neither election will be held as announced. Atta Mohammad Noor, the de facto ruler of the northern Balkh province, said at the launch of the alliance: “Afghanistan is on the verge of collapsing due to the ineffectiveness of government leaders.” Nearly 4 million people, out of 9 million registered by the government-appointed election body, are “fake voters,” he added. Dostum said the alliance comprises different political and ethnic groups, which “articulated peace, stability and a constructive role to improve the current state of affairs.” Mohaqiq also lashed out at the government during the launch of the alliance, describing the current situation in Afghanistan as “worrisome.” People are fleeing their homes due to insecurity, and a significant part of the country is under militant control, he said. Ghani said the alliance should help his administration overcome challenges. “The NUG (national unity government) welcomes pragmatic approaches, suggestions and plans by political parties, coalitions and civil society, provided they’re in accordance with the law and wishes of the people,” said a statement released by the president’s office. “Given the current circumstances, elections, peace and reconciliation are top priorities of the NUG.” Ghani said his administration pays utmost importance to achieving consensus between the government and political parties. Constructive ideas and proposals by these groups can help the government and the people to achieve critical national objectives, he added. Waheed Mozhdah, a Kabul-based political analyst, told Arab News that the formation of the alliance is a “serious challenge for Ghani,” and a sign of how his “wrong policies” alienated senior government members and reconciled old rivals. “This is a major development. It’s in fact the formation of a front against Ghani, who has failed to reach peace with the Taliban, leading the US to try to hold direct talks with the group,” Mozhdah said. “It’s highly likely that the elections won’t be held, so the alliance is bracing itself to block any extension of Ghani’s power when his mandate expires,” he added. “Afghanistan is an unpredictable place. Unless things change, the chance of Ghani winning another term is doomed to failure.” Atta Nasib, a pro-Ghani parliamentary candidate, said the alliance has nothing to offer common Afghans. The factions that are part of the coalition had forged similar ones in the past, but without any impact, he added. “Welcome to the New Grand Coalition of the same old tried and tested telepathic superheroes riding high on jihadi ballistic missiles,” Nasib tweeted. “For once I’m curious to learn more about issue-based politics that this fragile coalition claims to bring to the table.”