Zahir Qadir Rejects Corruption Allegations by Minister Jahani

Afghan member of parliament Zahir Qadir on Tuesday rejected the allegations of corruption against the parliamentarians and called it baseless.

Recently, former minister of information and culture Abdul Bari Jahani called Afghan parliamentarians corrupt and emphasized that corruption cannot be eliminated unless they are in power.

The minister claims that all cabinet members in the Afghan government have been forced to pay a bribe in order to receive votes of confidence.

Jahani says after he was nominated as a minister, he was taken to MP Zahir Qadir’s house along with other nominees in order to face confidence votes at parliament.

“There is no other way to secure votes of confidence in the parliament unless you spend money,” lawmaker Zahir Qadir has been quoted saying.

Jahani added,” he [Qadir] said I know all candidates do not have enough money to pay to the parliamentarians, but each candidate is required to pay $5,000 to $10,000 in order to receive a trust vote”.

In reaction, MP Qadir told Ariana News,” all of these allegations are inaccurate and baseless”.

Qadir further questions Jahani,” why he didn’t disclosed the issue to the nation two years ago?”

When the minister of rural rehabilitation Nasir Ahmad Durrani was asked about the claims made by minister Jahani, he said: “I believe, anyone who pays a bribe is committing national treason, because then the person needs to commit fraud to make the money back”.

Another Afghan minister accepts the corruption and fraud within the Afghan government and parliament.

“Corruption is both within the government and within the governmental circles,” Abdul Razaq Wahidi, the suspended minister for telecommunication and information technology said.

A number of Afghan parliamentarians also accepts the allegation of corruption against their colleagues.

“I fear when their power is finished; they will be taken directly to Pul-e-Charkhi prison without any trial,” MP Ramazan Bashardoost said.

By Lida Nyazi & Hesamuddin Hesam