KABUL – The Wolesi Jirga, asking the government to get tough with the Taliban, on Monday decided to summon high security officials over the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation.

A number of lawmakers expressed their deep concerns over recent terrorist attacks, particularly Thursday’s assault on the high-security Serena Hotel, where nine innocent people were killed.

Four teenage gunmen shot dead nine people, including an Afghan journalist, his spouse and two children, in the restaurant in the heart of Kabul -- an assault claimed by the Taliban.

Fatima Aziz, a lower house member from Kunduz province, condemned the attack as an un-Islamic and inhuman act. “We strongly denounce the attack, killing innocent people, including children. Curse on its organisers.”

She said the government and officials responsible for the hotel’s security should be grilled, insisting condemnation alone would not prevent a recurrence of such barbaric attacks. The lawmaker asked the government to shun its soft stance on the Taliban.

Her colleague from northeastern Badakhshan province, Fauzia Kofi, said the bloody attack on the Serena Hotel came on the eve of the new solar year. “The old and sworn enemies of Afghanistan even did not spare children and civilians.

 “The new solar year started on a sad note. We have been witnessing deadly attacks on a daily basis from the old Afghanistan enemies, but children were brutally killed in the hotel incident.”

She said the Afghans were ready to be killed, but they would never accept slavery and the Taliban could never become their brothers. President Hamid Karzai often calls the Taliban disgruntled brothers.

Kofi claimed the attack on the Serena Hotel was aimed at disrupting the April elections because international observers were present there. She said security officials should investigate intelligence operatives and those responsible for security of the hotel.

Other house members also condemned recent terrorist attacks and asked the government to take concrete measures for strengthening security. The Serena Hotel attack was followed by deadly assaults in Faryab, Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces.

Sadiq Ahmad Usmani, the first deputy speaker who presided over the session, said the government should rethink its policy toward Taliban because such approach was not acceptable to the parliament.

He said panel heads had decided to summon high security officials over the recent surge in violence in the country. (Pajhwok)