The bill has been passed by both the Houses of Parliament to grant amnesty to those who fought the invading Soviet forces in the 1980s, provided they recognised the new Afghanistan Constitution.

If President Hamid Karzai signs the bill, it will become law. If not, the lower House (Wolesi Jirga) will need to clear it by two-third majority for it to be enacted.

The bill appears to leave out the Taliban top brass as they are still battling the government which endorses the present Constitution.

Some 12,000 policemen were deployed since yesterday to prevent the entry of possible trouble-makers at the gathering at the Ghazi stadium, where the Taliban used to carry out public executions, official said.

The Nato troops also swung into action in some areas. Armed policemen were deployed in strength and stayed parked in jeeps throughout the day.

But the day passed off peacefully. The warlords said that they were in support of the government and stood for the territorial integrity and stability of Afghanistan.

Karzai's spokesman said the bill will be examined and the President will sign it only if it is in harmony with the Constitution, which stands for the rule of law and human rights.

Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah said the "voice of thousands of people will be ignored if the President did not sign the resolution". The government appears to be divided on the question.