Dist chief sacked after complaining of insecurity

JALALABAD (PAN): The Hesarak district chief in eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday said he had been removed from his position after sharing the town’s security problems with the media.

Abdul Khaliq Maroof, the district’s administrative head, told Pajhwok Afghan News on Friday the town had been under siege from insurgents and had been out of government’s control for seven months.

Maroof said he had discussed the problem many times with the provincial administration, but no remedial steps had been taken so far.

Speaking exclusively to Pajhwok, Maroof said the governor had sacked him “just because I have highlighted the problems that exist in the district”.

The official renewed his last week’s claim that he had protected the district for the past seven months on his own and that 50 of his family members had been killed and wounded by the insurgents.

The district chief said: “27 of my personal bodyguards looked after the town’s security and the governor’s office didn’t provide me a single penny in assistance.”

He reiterated the town remained under siege, urging President Hamid Karzai to evince a personal interest in mitigating the plight of residents.  

Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the governor’s spokesman, said the district head had been fired in line with a suggestion from participants of a meeting on national security.

“The issue came up at the security meeting. A new district chief, who held this position in the past, has been appointed,” he added.

Chaired by President Hamid Karzai, the meeting had voiced serious concern at the security situation in Hesarak district.

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