(BNA): President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has held consultative meetings with different political figures, aiming to achieve a just and lasting peace and strengthen the national and political consensus in the country, a presidential palace statement said yesterday. “In series of meetings with political figures, President Ghani held meeting with Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, Azizullah Din Mohammad, prominent political and jihadist figure, Mohammad Ismail Ghazanfar, a prominent figure and national businessman, Sayed Sadat Mansoor Nader, state minister for peace affairs, Jalal Sayeed, a businessman and head of National Salvation Front Dr. Zabiullah Mojadidi,” the statement added.  During these meetings, President Ghani listened to their views and discussed the next steps in the peace process, according to the statement. This comes as President Ghani during a provincial visit in Kandahar a week ago said that it was important to maintain a strong republic system and that Afghanistan must allow the foreign troops to withdraw with honor “because they have helped us. “We have always held on to our soil and will continue to do so,” he added. “There is no law in the world other than our constitution that has an Islamic form. Let’s face it, Islam brings us closer together, (and does) not separate us.” The president had said.