Fate of Afghan Minister’s Imminent Resignation Remains Uncertain

Afghan Minister of Information and Culture, Abdul Bari Jahani submitted his resignation to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on late Monday.

Minister Jahani said he cannot continue to serve as the Information and Culture Minister due to the illness he is suffering from.

Presidential Palace declared about receiving the resignation letter of minister Jahani, but refused to comment on its rejection or approval.

Jahani’s resignation comes as recently president Ghani has warned that those minister who fail to spent less than 70 percent of their budget should be resigned.

Former minister of information and culture has criticized the two years of Abdul Bari Jahani’s work, noting his resignation may links to the President’s warning about spending budgets.

“Maybe, one of the reason for the resignation of Jahani is the budget issue. Jahani was a great writer but he has not done anything for the culture of Afghanistan. He has not have any achievements in the past two years,” said Sayed Makhdom Rahin, ex-minister of information and culture.

But at the other side, the lawmakers who voted for Jahani have different stories about his resignation.

“Abdul Bari Jahani had differences with the President and it caused him to resign,” said Khalil Ahmad Shahid Zada, representative of Herat in Parliament.

Ghulam Farooq Majroh, another representative of Herat also said, “Jahani is a great writer and poet, but he is not good to be a minister. He understand the issue and resigned.”

This comes as since the begining of the National Unity Government, the ministerial cabinet was not compelete and had shortage of ministers.

Currently, the Ministries of ethnic tribal, information and culture and mines are under control of acting ministers.

Reported by Ali Asghari