Security officials fail to attend session to brief MPs on Raziq’s Assassination

Heads of defense, security and intelligence institutions were expected on Monday to brief the lawmakers about General Raziq’s assassination and the overall security situation of the country, but the security officials failed to attend the parliament’s session.

 Criticizing the government over the Kandahar incident on October 18, a number of MPs said that that General Raziq’s assassination case is not exposed and that the security officials should share the details of the incident.

“The Talib who killed Raziq was the bodyguard of the governor. Where is his dead body and where has been buried? Why General Raziq has not been shifted to the forensic laboratory so that it should have been clear where the ballot hit him and which kind of weapon was used against him,” questioned MP Allah Gul.

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Drought put lives of many Afghans at risk: MPs

Parliament on Sunday summoned deputy ministers of Agriculture and Energy & Water as well as minister of Rural Rehabilitation & Development over the issue of drought which has already affected 20 provinces in the country.

The MPs said that drought has put lives of many people at risk and that the government has not taken effective measures to tackle the issue in the country.

“Drought has affected 20 provinces. People don’t have water and facing a major problem,” said MP Mohammad Hashim Mehdi. “People in Kabul were expecting the water dams like Shahtoot and Shah wa Arous to be constructed, but they are not built yet.”

“Unfortunately, the government plans don’t meet the demands of people. The ministries acted poorly in implementing the [water supply] projects. In villages, most of the aqueducts have been dried up, people don’t have access to drinking water and therefore, they have been displaced,” said MP Khalilullah Shahidzada.

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Telecom tax revenues being stolen by certain individuals

A number of Afghan lawmakers on Monday, criticized the government over failure to form a transparent collection system for the revenues earned via 10 percent telecom tax on mobile phone users, saying the amount of money being stolen by certain individuals.

The members of Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of the parliament said some elements within the government were trying to halt the plan of activating a transparent collection system.

“The issue of having [collection] system of has been started by the Ministry of telecommunication three years ago, but the issue is politicized and some individuals don’t want this system to be activated because the tax money being shared to many people,” said Qais Hassan, chairman of parliament’s Telecommunication and Transportation Commission.

Meanwhile, MP Makhdom Abdal Mohammadi said that it has been six months since the promises had been made to activate the system for collection of telecom tax, but the plan has not been implemented so far.

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Drought сrisis: MPs summon Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation

The Members of Parliament at the Lower House have summoned the minister of agriculture, irrigation and the deputy minister of natural disaster management over the drought crisis that has hit most parts of the country.

The lawmakers declared that the government lacks proper solutions for the drought problem and people are facing serious threats of drought in the current year.

“The displaced people have many problems. Most of the displaced have come to Jawzjan from other provinces. They have no water and food. A barrel of drinking water is sold up to 1 to 2 thousand AFN,” Abdul Satar Darzabi, representative of Jawzjan said.

Fatima Aziz, representative of Kunduz asserted, “Drought threatens the northern provinces. The number of displaced people reaches to five thousand families who gathered in one place.”

In the meantime, the minister of agriculture and irrigation Nasir Ahmad Durani noted that addressing the drought problem needs more than $500 million and the ministry has its programs to control the drought.

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MPs: gov’t plotting to hold rigged election

A number of Afghan parliament members accused the government of plotting to hold a rigged election in the country, asserting that the election commission has not been able to preserve its independence.
“A circle close to the president and his team has instructed the election commission to do not let anyone except a few figures – who support them – to secure parliament seat in [the upcoming] election,” said Humayun Humayun, First Deputy Speaker of Wolesi Jirga, or Parliament’s Lower House.

Questioning the election commission’s Independence, the MPs claimed that the Presidential Palace has been involved in the decision-making process of the election commission.

“The President has ordered the election mission to do not let more than 25 individuals to be re-elected as parliament members, and this is an obvious interference of the government,” said MP Abdullah Mohammadi.

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