In line with the political agreement signed between President Ashraf Ghani and his Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, Ghani should already have issued an order for the establishment of a constitutional amendment commission, in consultation with the CEO, but this has not happened.
On Tuesday, legal experts reacted in anger over government’s reluctance to finalize the establishment of such a commission. They accused the NUG leaders of undermining the formation of the commission.
The NUG is now just two weeks away from its two-year in power anniversary.
However, the CEO’s office has announced that preliminary arrangements for the establishment of such a commission are in place.
But, legal experts have hit back at government’s constitutional amendment agenda.
“The president, after taking his oath of office at a ceremony (two years ago), in consultation with the chief executive, should issue an order for the establishment of a commission aimed to prepare the draft for the constitutional amendment,” states the NUG agreement signed in 2014 by Ghani and Abdullah.
But, legal experts accuse the NUG leaders of breaking the law in this respect.
“Two or three months is not enough time for a commission, there is a need for expert and experienced lawyers and economists to work on the commission. It would be a difficult task for the commission to write the text of a draft law,” said Ainuddin Bahaduri, secretary general of Afghanistan’s Lawyers Union.
“The law needs to be amended for the sake of national interests and not be personally motivated,” said Gul Rahman Qazi, former chief of the constitution oversight committee.
“Seventeen days are left to the end of two years (of power for this) government, there is not enough time now to conduct the Loya Jirga and to start the job of the constitutional committee. But the leaders need to think about what they can contribute to the future of Afghanistan so that the people get rid of the problems,” said Mohammad Ishaq Gillani, chairman of the Nahzat-e-Milli Afghanistan party.
Convening the constitutional amendment Loya Jirga, implementing systematic reforms in the election laws and rolling out digital ID cards are among the top commitments of the government leaders to the nation.
By Anisa Shahid, Tolonews
