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Ex-Minister Accuses ARG of Power Monopoly, Paralyzing Development Process
Former Energy and Water Minister Ali Ahmad Osmani on Sunday accused the Presidential Palace (ARG) of power monopoly.
He said that all authorities of governmental institutions have been monopolized by Ghani’s office, so the development process in the country is paralyzed.
“nepotism and racism-based governance are major challenges for good and systematic governance. The transfer of authorities from legal institutions into the office of [President’s] advisors based on nepotism have paralyzed the objective processes of governance in most of the institutions,” Osmani told reporters at a press conference in Kabul.
He also accused President Ashraf Ghani’s office of acting based on ethnicity, saying the Presidential Palace has prevented the leadership of the Ministry of Water and Energy to execute its major projects during the last three years.
Osmani noted that his resistance for better water management, denial to accept illegal requests from President’s advisers and enforcing his authorities were among the major reasons for his disagreement with Ghani’s office.
“Challenging the working programs, stopping the ministries plans and development projects, preventing us from our internal and external official trips, threatening, suspending the job of high-level and low-level employees in the ministry, preventing from ministerial reforms and transferring the legal authorities to advisers or even other ministries were [our main disagreements],” Osmani added.
In addition, the former official asked Abdullah Abdullah, the Chief Executive of the National Unity Government, to enforce his authorities.
“Why I didn’t want to resign?,” Osmani asked and responded. “We are fighting against outlaws and for the rule of law since a while and our resignation would have paved the way for lawbreakers.”
Shah Hussain Murtazawi, a spokesman for the Presidential Palace, in an online statement rejected the allegations saying if the minister is having any evidence he should share it with legal bodies.
Recently, President Ghani fired Osmani when Chief Executive Abdullah was traveling abroad and appointed one of his deputies as acting minister.
Immediately the Chief Executive reinstated him saying Osmani is one of the successful and active ministers of the government and the majority of the projects in the Ministry of Energy and Water have been inaugurated or due to be inaugurated under the management of Mr. Osmani.
Abdullah said Osmani will remain in his position and the issue will be resolved in line with the agreement for the formation of the unity government, but later reports emerged that he has agreed on the dismissal of Mr. Osmani.
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Terrorist threats to US interests from Afghanistan, Pakistan steadily rising: USIP
Following the concerns over terrorist threats from Afghanistan, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) says in a report that terrorist threats against US interests from Afghanistan and Pakistan are steadily rising.
The report stated that “Afghanistan presents growing space for terrorist groups compared to the period before the U.S. withdrawal.”
“ISIS-K [Daesh] presents a rising threat with reach beyond the immediate region, greater than during the pre-withdrawal period,” the report reads.
It added that “The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group has also returned as a regional security threat.”
“The study group’s final report evaluated and put forth policy options to mitigate terrorist threats and safeguard U.S. interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while maintaining the current focus on strategic competition,” the report added.
“Unfortunately, the geography of Afghanistan and the relations of terrorist groups in the region have caused the countries of the region and the world to express concern about possible challenges. The Islamic Emirate should take measures to form an inclusive government so that the spirit of the regional fight against terrorism is practically strengthened and launched,” said a military expert.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has called the report “baseless” and said that it has no relationship with al-Qaeda and that Daesh has been suppressed in Afghanistan.
IEA’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fetrat added that there is no terrorist group in Afghanistan and the government does not allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries.
“The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly said that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against the interests of countries. Once again, we assure the countries of the world and the region that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against their interests, nor is Afghanistan a threat to them,” Fetrat stressed.
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Afghan prisoner stabs inmate to death in Delhi
An Afghan prisoner in Delhi stabbed another prisoner to death on Friday after a dispute over food, the Times of India reported.
The deceased was identified as Deepak Soni, who was 29-year-old.
The killer has been identified as Abdul Basir Akhundzada who is 44 years old.
Abdul Basir Akhundzadeh had been arrested in connection with a case of attempted murder in Lajpet Nagar area of New Delhi in 2019.
Soni had been arrested in connection with the case of robbery and murder in 2018.
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Afghan consul general in Mumbai Zakia Wardak resigns
Zakia Wardak, Afghanistan’s consul general in India’s Mumbai city, resigned on Saturday, following reports of gold smuggling.
The Times of India has reported that Wardak was caught at Mumbai airport with 25 kilograms of gold smuggled from Dubai.
While announcing her resignation, Wardak said on X that over the past year, she had encountered numerous personal attacks and defamation not only directed towards her but also towards her close family and extended relatives.
“These attacks, which appear to be organized, have severely impacted my ability to effectively operate in my role and have demonstrated the challenges faced by women in Afghan society who strive to modernize and bring positive change amidst ongoing propaganda campaigns,” she said.
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