KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday told lawmakers that he had no intention to dissolve the parliament.
The president, who met Wolesi Jirga’s administrative board members at the Presidential Palace, said he had not talked to anyone about the dissolution of the lower house.
Earlier Wolesi Jirga secretary Abdul Qadir Zazai told reporters that the president had warned some member lawmakers that he would dissolve the assembly if security officials were summoned.
Top security officials have been summoned by the lower house to appear before it on Monday following the terrorist attack on the 400-bed hospital Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan in Kabul.
Those summoned include Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi Interior Minister Taj Mohammad Jahid and spymaster Masoum Stanikzai.
A number of lawmakers, heads of commissions on Sunday morning met the president, Zazai said.
He quoted the president as saying he did not speak to anyone about dissolving the Wolesi Jirga. The president said the parliament had full legitimacy and it was the reason he inaugurated the 16 legislative term of the Parliament 8th year.
Under the constitution, the Wolesi Jirga’s mandate ended last year, but its mandate was extended until elections to Wolesi Jirga and district councils were held.
However, no date has been announced for holding the long-delayed district and parliamentary elections.
Zazai said the president told Wolesi Jirga members that summoning government officials was their right and the three security officials would be present in the assembly tomorrow.
Nominees to replace the ousted ministers would be also introduced to the lower house for a trust vote, he added.
Wolesi Jirga disqualified ministers of foreign affairs, labor and social affairs, public works, education, transportation, telecommunication and technology and the minister of higher education. However, all the disqualified ministers continued to perform their duty in compliance with a presidential order.
When asked why 1st deputy speaker of Wolesi Jirga Hamayon Hamayon yesterday said the president had warned to dissolve the Wolesi Jirga.
Abdul Qadir Zazai answered Hamayon had a personal meeting with the president and he should avoid sharing personal problems.
Dawa Khan Menapal, Presidential Palace’s spokesman, insisted that the president had not talked to anyone about dissolution of the Wolesi Jirga.
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