KABUL - The Wolesi Jirga -- or lower house of the parliament -- on Wednesday approved strategic cooperation agreements Afghanistan has signed with three countries.
The Wolesi Jirga Commission on International Affairs presented before the house texts of the strategic agreements with Indonesia, Denmark and the UK.
The agreement between Kabul and London was about training and advising Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel, a member of the panel said.
Mohammad Daud Kalkani told the house the accord with Indonesia was aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in areas of governance, economic development, security and refugee and cultural affairs.
He explained the deal between Afghanistan and Denmark was about bilateral cooperation in the same areas.
Kalkani said the UK would assist Afghanistan in training Afghan army under the deal. A majority of house members approved the three agreements.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Habibullah Ghalib presented before the house a draft law on child adoption.
The minister said the draft covered assistance to children having no guardians, their overall grooming process, healthcare, appointing guardians and other related issues. He said the law had been approved by the Council of Ministers last month.
Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said the draft law would be discussed by commissions before presenting it before the house for approval.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers expressed their views regarding the April 5 presidential and provincial council elections.
Munawar Shah Bahadari from western Herat province said the electoral body should once against vet documents of presidential and provincial council candidates because fraud had been committed in this regard.
In his remarks, Ibrahimi said the house could investigate documents of candidates if wanted so because it was one of the parliament’s jobs to oversee government activities.
Bahadari said some ballot papers had been published in Pakistan in the previous elections and asked the Independent Election Commission to ensure attempts at using forged votes were foiled.
The lawmaker said he was not satisfied with security measures being taken for next year’s elections, calling for the officials concerned to be summoned and grilled.
A lawmaker from Kandahar, Shakiba Hashmi, alleged police commanders in some provinces were working in favor of their preferred presidential candidates. (Pajhwok)