Major Challenges Emerging as Tensions Rise in NUG

A number of Afghan Senators have expressed concern over the current situation of the country; citing the continuation of tensions between National Unity Government (NUG) leaders would cause the government to face more challenges.

They have declared that the continuation of these challenges is not acceptable and will have adverse consequences on the country.

“People are concerning over the current situation of the country and the rise of tensions between the government leaders,” said Senator Gulalay Akbari.

Senator Jamauddin Geyanwal said, “The differences among government leaders caused the security situation worsening day by day and terrorist groups become more powerful.”

Senator Nadir Baloch also said, “We are concerning over the prejudice and ethnocentrism actions of government leaders and we demand security forces to not be affected by these issues.”

Meanwhile, Senators emphasized that the differences among leaders should be seriously investigated.

“Honesty, trust and implementation of the political agreement are very essential at the current situation and the problems should be seriously investigated,” said senator Muhammad Alam Izadyar.

With the two year of anniversary of Afghanistan National Unity Government approached in September, long-simmering tensions between president Ghani and CEO, Abdullah Abdullah have broken out into the open.

In mid-August remarks to his supporters, Abdullah made his most public and indirect complaints to date, calling Ghani unfit for presidency.

He said that his counsel was being ignored by Ghani, his position  within the government was being marginalized, and his demands for reforms were going unmet.

Although the two leaders have since met one-on-one and attended Afghanistan’s Independence day celebrations together on Aug.17, the complicated power-sharing balance within the government, and with its critics on the outside, shows little sign of being resolved anytime soon.

The US-brokered agreement that formed the national unity government and ended a dispute over the outcome of Afghanistan’s 2014 presidential election set up an ambitious his former electoral rival Abdullah as Chief Executive, a new position.

Abdullah often accompanies Ghani on state visits, but otherwise he appears to have made limited progress at integrating himself into government decision-making chains.

Over the past two years, the two leaders have fought-up until now largely behind the scenes-over almost all major cabinet appointment and control of the process of reforming Afghanistan electoral law and administration.