The Lower House of Parliament dismissed the Defense and Interior ministers with vote of no-confidence on Saturday, in an impeachment session on the issue of rocket attacks on border provinces from across the Durand Line and increasing insecurity, targeted assassinations of high profile figures across the country. The parliament had called for impeachment of Defense Minister Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Bismillah Khan, after weeks of alleged rocket attacks by Pakistani security forces in border provinces.
Out of 226 MPs present in the session, 126 voted against Bismillah Khan and 148 voted against Rahim Wardak.
House Speaker announced the results of secret-ballot voting asking President Karzai to send new nominees to replace the dismissed ministers. In a statement from Palace, President Karzai has said parliament has constitutional power to remove ministers. He will decide on the removal of the ministers in the National Security Council meeting today.
The impeachment of two important ministers apparently seems a blow to the Karzai Administration, but behind-the-scene game is not about the rocket attacks from Pakistan. Otherwise, what can police do on an issue of national security?
To watch over the chain of targeted attacks on high profile figures across the country is the responsibility of the National Directorate of Security, not police. Removal of Bismillah Khan is part of the plot to prepare for the 2014-scenario and political transition.
President Karzai apparently wants to remove the very last figures in important security positions that have a history of political background and resistance with strong clout among masses. News of Palace lobbying for yesterday's impeachment in parliament was making the rounds even before the session.
Since the start of the current parliament, several cabinet members have been impeached and nominees rejected more than thrice, but President Karzai never bothered for rule of law. But after yesterday's dismissal of Defense and Interior ministers, a Palace statement, in a rare approval of its kind, said under Article 92 of the Constitution, parliament could vote to oust a minister.
However, the statement said President Karzai would decide on the dismissal in National Security Council meeting at the Palace today.
Yesterday's episode is very much a repeat of the script when former Interior Minister Hanif Atmar and NDS Chief Amrullah Saleh were asked for resignation.