Karzai restricts high officials’ foreign trips

KABUL): President Hamid Karzai has ordered his staff and airport authorities not to allow high-ranking government officials to travel abroad without having a permission letter from his office, an official privy to the development said on Monday.

“From now on as of Monday, high-ranking officials can only undertake obligatory foreign trips and can travel overseas if they have a permission letter from the Karzai office,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Officials intending to travel abroad have to apply for the permission letter through the Office of Administrative Affairs at the Presidential Palace, he said. The application will be forwarded to the President Office for approval.

If disapproved, the official concerned would not be allowed by airport authorities to leave the country and if granted approval, one has to bring the permission letter to Kabul Airport along his/her passport and visa, the source said.

The restriction comes after reports that some high ranking government officials had travelled abroad without any prior information to their departments concerned during Eid holidays.

The official said Karzai took the decision after he was delivered a list of officials who travelled foreign countries without informing their respective offices.

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