KABUL - The president’s special representative for reforms and good governance on Wednesday called corruption a big obstacle to Afghanistan’s development and prosperity,

Some amendments to the constitution were needed for elimination of the scourge, Ahmad Zia Massoud told a conference on eradicating corruption in Kabul.

Afghanistan had made significant achievements in a number of areas in the past 13 years, but the government had miserably failed to curb administrative graft, he said.

Massoud stressed the need for a strong national will to control the menace said: “Corruption would not exist if vital state institutions and civil society organisations are strengthened.”

He advocated for introducing a law to hire officers on the basis of professionalism and removing parallel government departments. The civil services law also needed changes to ensure the supremacy of merit.

While asking civil society to help implement administrative reforms, the president’s special representative promised the government would bring about the required changes for the sake of good governance.

Baryalai Omarzai, head of the Afghans Coordination for Fighting Corruption Institute, said concrete measures should be taken for elimination of corruption.

Corruption and terrorism were the biggest challenges for the national unity government, he said. The government should identify corrupt officials and bring them to justice, he demanded. (Pajhwok)