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

Rahin, Shahrani Fail to Satisfy MPs

Rahin, Shahrani Fail to Satisfy MPs

KABUL - Lower house members on Wednesday said they were not satisfied with explanations offered by ministers of information and mines about under-spending development funds in 2011.

But Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak and Counternarcotics Minister Zarar Ahmad Muqbil satisfied Wolesi Jirga members, who asked Economy Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal and Energy and Water Minister Ismail Khan to reappear before them on Saturday.

Seven ministers have so far testified before the house on their failure to use more than half of their budgetary allocations in 2011.

Information and Culture Minister Syed Makhdoom Rahin and Mines Minister Wahidullah Shahrani failed to convince MPs with their arguments.

On Monday, four ministers appeared and insisted they had utilised more than half of development funds.

They included Rahin and Arghandiwal Ahadi and Shahrani. Arghandiwal said his ministry had been given $1.5 million for development schemes in 2011. The allocations included a non-discretionary fund of $2.3 million that had been spent on salaries to advisors.

Shahrani said 32.8 million of the 61.3 million allocated to his ministry for development activities was discretionary. He added the rest of funds were meant for 18 medium and small projects.

Under the constitution, the lower house can bring a no-confidence motion against a minister failing to satisfy it on an issue of national importance. (Pajhwok)