KABUL - The Meshrano Jirga -- upper house of the parliament -- on Tuesday asked the national unity government to enforce effective measures to stem the ongoing wave of insecurity across the country. 

Since the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s administration a month back, insecurity in Kabul and a number of provinces has escalated. Recent attacks have resulted in the killing of government officials and civilians.

A senator from northeastern Badakhshan province, Bashir Ahmad Samim, deplored the authorities’ failure to keep sustained focus on security improvement. Instead the government was preoccupied with other issues, he deplored.

His colleague from central Daikundi province, Ali Akbar Jamshedi, alleged some government officials and other influential individuals were aiding the insurgents in an attempt to realise their goals.

Without elaborating on the goals, he suggested a change in government strategy against the Taliban. “Anyone supporting the rebels should be condemned as a traitor and punished severely…”

Balqis Roshan, a woman lawmaker from Farah province, also hit out at the government’s failure to accord due priority to improvement in the security environment.

She remarked: “The rulers are unconcerned; they are busy with foreign junkets and power-sharing deals. Corruption is rife in provinces. Why won’t the country plunge into lawlessness? And the Taliban are making use of this situation.”

But Senate Chairman Fazal Hadi Muslimyar believed the government alone could not deal with the security challenge. He urged the people and their representatives to cooperate with the security forces. He also called for the enforcement of the law. (Pajhwok)