KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani's former legal advisor Abdul Ali Mohammadi has claimed that the entire process of the controversial Smart City housing project with convicted Kabul Bank defaulter Khalilullah Frozi was supervised by the president himself.

Mohammadi said Ghani approved a Kabul Bank debt recuperation procedure that mapped out a repayment package for Frozi.

The government does not have the power to dismiss other officials linked to the issue, therefore, government suspended him to stop the rumors, Mohammad said on Monday.

These comments were made in the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on Monday after MPs summoned the Minister of Urban Development Affairs & Housing Sadat Mansoor Naderi, former legal advisor to president Abdul Ali Mohammadi and the head of Kabul Bank's collections department over the controversial housing scheme agreement with Frozi.

Responding to allegations made against him, Mohammadi said that the entire process was overseen by the president.

"The most difficult task for the government was the recuperation of the money from Kabul Bank defaulters and they [debtors] weren't willing to pay their debts easily. In the past and even now there are some people who encourage debtors not to repay the money," Mohammadi said.

According to Mohammadi, Ghani assigned a commission to recoup the money and for that a special procedure was also recommended.

"The procedure was then referred to the cabinet on January 24, the president approved the procedure on [January] 27. The commission was convening monthly meetings with the president and I was tasked to monitor the work. On the basis of this procedure, at least eleven of the debtors paid their debts," he said.

On the basis of the president's order, two members of Kabul Bank collections department met Frozi at the prison and asked him to recommend a plan to government, Mohammad said.

He claims that the president asked for his resignation under pressure, but when he refused to step down, he was suspended.

"Following the termination of the contract, one of the closest people to the president contacted me and asked me to resign in the wake of media speculation. When I said why I must step down, he said we have not enough power to suspend others and you must resign. But I refused and said that the president has appointed me and insisted that I am not affiliated to any group or party, that the president himself must fire me," Mohammadi added.

Meanwhile, the minister of urban development and housing told the lawmakers that the ministry accomplished the duties on the contract as per the provision of the law and it does not accept any responsibility regarding Frozi's status and identity.

"The ministry of urban development and housing doesn't have any sort of responsibility toward Frozi's identity and action," Naderi said.

In conclusion parliament speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said:"On the basis of the remarks of former legal advisor to the president, Muhammadi, the process of Smart City contract moved in a transparent way and in line with the procedure to recuperate Kabul Bank debts and that he performed his duty in line with the same procedure."

"The reply of the minister of urban development and housing also indicates that the entire process moved according to the law and that no violation was committed by the ministry of urban development and housing according to the law," Ibrahimi added. (Tolonews)