KABUL CITY - The High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption (HOOAC) chief on Monday acknowledged its inability to register the assets of powerful figures.
Azizullah Lodin told a meeting aimed at recording the assets of the Kabul governor, district chiefs and other senior officials: "Our system doesn't work for people's welfare.
"I often tell the president and a series of conferences that we claim to be an Islamic government that is supposed to ensure social justice,'' he said, regretting that the claim could not be translated into action.
During his 12 years of jihad, Lodin said, he repeatedly heard of Islamic justice, criticism of the communist government and pledges to replace it with a truly Islamic order.
"But to our chagrin, now we see some strongmen sucking people's blood, like malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Let's evaluate our state of affairs before and after the jihad. We must have the courage to ask them where they brought their money from. But we can't' ask this of anybody."
Stressing the need for an effective anti-corruption drive, he said: "Fighting against plunderers is a good form of jihad that I will continue. Either they will kill me or I will press on with my struggle,'' he remarked
Lodin revealed that 3,300 assets declaration forms had been issued to various government departments since 2011 and capital, with 3,000 officials having registered their income and properties. The assets of 5,000 government employees will be registered.
In response to a question, he said cases against seven high-ranking officials, who had been sacked on corruption charges, were being investigated. However, he did not identify anyone.
He believed that the anti-corruption campaign would be more effective when the administrative system was reformed and coordination forged among different departments.
Blaming prosecutors for refusing to cooperate with them, Lodin said: "A case against the water and energy minister was referred to the Attorney General Office (AGO), which says it has yet to be receive proper documents and evidence.''
Lodin recently accused the minister of grabbing Zabuli's residence in Herat. By the same token, the mayor also illegally occupied the banker's market, he alleged.
But then deputy AGO, Rahmatullah Nazari, said they would cooperate with the anti-cooperation drive. About the case against Energy Minister Ismail Khan, he said the HOOAC should first send the attached document to the primary court.
Nazari confirmed the HOOAC had sent to AGO the documents of the minister's properties. The ministerial property ownership documents were fake, according to the corruption watchdog.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Ahmadullah Alizai also said: "More coordination is needed among government departments to combat corruption. I assure Lodin that I would fight against the scourge.''
Mohammad Ayub Salangi, the commander of 101st Asmayee police zone, said: "We announce our readiness for fighting corruption. And we are equally ready to overcome problems within the force.''(Pajhwok)