ACJC to begin probe into cases of senior government officials

Afghanistan Presidential Palace says that the Anti-Corruption Justice Center (ACJC) will begin investigation on cases of senior government officials of the past 14 years.

“The Anti-Corruption Justice Center will officially begin its works next week and begin investigation on cases of any government officials who made fraud and irregularities in any position,” said Dawa Khan Mina Pal, President deputy spokesman.

This comes as the justice analysts of the country considered the existence of an anti-corruption justice center and effective step for fighting corruption.

While a number of senators are said to believe that the observing institutions themselves involve in corruption.

“This commission has been made by the president. We have not seen any president who control the judicial institution. Because of having achievements in WARSAW summit, president Ghani made this commission,” Senator Zulmay Zabuli said.

Several factors did not bode well for the Karzai government’s tenuous hold on power. The Karzai government was increasingly unpopular throughout the country, despite its attempts to build support with various giveaway programs, such as free seed distribution. It is widely seen as corrupt and having embraced the very warlords who pillaged the country in the lawless years preceding the Taliban and impotent in the face of rising terrorist violence.

“Transparent” is not an apt description of the general business culture of Afghanistan. Corruption and collusion between government and business is believed to be commonplace.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the last few decades of war have seriously disrupted its mainly agricultural economy.

The country faces numerous daunting governance challenges which need to be addressed if long term stability in the country is to be achieved.

But alongside larger-scale changes, immediate steps can and must be taken to curb the devastation caused by corruption.