Collection System of Credit Cards Not Transparent: Acting Minister

After the Government of Afghanistan has suspended the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Abdul Razaq Wahidi and assigning of a delegation to review corruption case within the Ministry, now the new Acting Minister of Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Sayed Ahmad Shah Saadat urged that there is no system exists and collection system of credit cards was not transparent.

He said, “No system exists and collection system of credit cards was not transparent.”

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani during a decree has called the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to start collecting of 10 percent of tax from the cell phone credit cards 16 months ago, and a system was expected to be established.

Chief of Integrity Watch Afghanistan Sayed Ikram Afzali said, “They have started to collect 10 percent of credit cards without creating a proper and safe system, now huge corruption has been committed, no one was identified, what is happening was foresaid it before.”

Meanwhile officials at Ministry of Finance insisted collection, monitoring, programming of the credit cards is the responsibility of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

“Collection of the credit cards is counted as none taxation incomes and is the responsibility of Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.” Ministry of Finance Spokesman Ajmal Hameed Abdul Rahimzai said.

Based on the estimation 22 million sim cards were distributed through the country where 17 million Sims are active paying taxation.

And according to the estimation in the past 16 months 5, 6 billion Afghani collected and dumped into the Government accounts from the credit cards used.

Reported by: Lida Naizi