Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

MPs Split Over Ghani’s Ability to Fix National Issues

MPs Split Over Ghani’s  Ability to Fix National Issues

KABUL - After assuming office in 2014, President Ashraf Ghani vowed to define more working and comprehensive strategies to tackle security and economic issues among others, but MPs are now almost evenly divided over Ghani’s ability to deal with the ongoing crisis.
On Monday, lawmakers in the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) expressed mixed ideas over Ghani’s ability to handle the ongoing turmoil in the country.
In Monday’s session, some lawmakers raised deep concerns over what they described as Ghani’s authoritarianism, saying that Ghani himself was part of the problem in the country. They suggested the people must now unite and determine their own fate.
Amid a surge in security threats and the recent attack by Taliban insurgents on the army camp in the northern province of Balkh, that killed over 150 soldiers, lawmakers also appear to be losing confidence in Ghani’s administration.
Some MPs accused their colleagues of playing into the hands of the president.
“If we (lawmakers) had dealt with the hospital attack responsibly, we would not face this situation today,” said MP Raihana Azad, referring to the army base attack.
“We have violated the reputation of the assembly, we are dancing to the music of the ARG (presidential palace) including the speaker and all of us,” said MP Humayoun Humayoun.
“We talked with sentiment, abused each other and made fun of ourselves before the media,” said MP Jaffar Mahdawi.
Talking on the recent attacks in the country, lawmakers said that such attacks have raised serious questions. They slammed Ghani for being an authoritarian and a dictator.
“People must now determine their future,” said MP Kiramuddin Rezazada.
The lawmakers also criticized the implementation of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), an agreement that allowed the U.S Forces to stay in Afghanistan post-2014 and said that pact had not been implemented in the right way.
“I announced that if the BSA with the U.S brought peace to Afghanistan, then you execute me, I still defend my words,” said MP Abdul Rahman Rahmani.
“NATO leaders and U.S officials have always said that the Taliban are not the military target,” said MP Zalmai Mojadedi.
In addition, parliament speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said that the cabinet does not have the authority to conduct its job and also the president has suspended 25 directives of the national assembly. (Tolonews)