KABUL - President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani's top legal advisor, Abdul Ali Muhammadi, has said that the Attorney General's office is expected to fully implement the Kabul appeals court recent ruling on the Kabul Bank case, which included the order to freeze the assets belonging to every shareholder and official of the bank linked to the scandal.

"The properties will be not released until the stolen money of the Kabul bank has been returned to the government treasury," Mr. Muhammadi said of the assets on Thursday. "Based on the court order, the Attorney General's office is free to bring the Kabul Bank money that was transferred abroad back to Afghanistan," he added.

But reports suggest recovering the lost millions - roughly two thirds of the total 900 million USD stolen has yet to be recuperated - could be difficult.

Nevertheless, the Attorney General's office has maintained that the court's order will be implemented in full. "The Attorney General's office is obligated to implement the appeals court decision, in regard to the people and the freezing of their assets," Attorney General spokesman Baseer Azizi said.

General Abdul Rasheed Dostum, the First Vice-President of Afghanistan, has joined President Ghani in the national unity government's early publicity push against corruption. "We will prevent corruption, will bring reform, we will finalize the Kabul Bank issue no matter what," General Dostum said.

But some critics say the government's anti-corruption campaign is mostly rhetoric and symbolic action, rather than the comprehensive reform and accountability that must take place.

The national unity government's Chief Executive Officer, Abdullah Abdullah, who ran against Ghani and Dostum in the election, has demanded that the government first get rid of the corrupt individuals who remain in office before it makes promises of change. (Tolonews)