Ousted Kunduz governor willing to step down

KUNDUZ (Pajhwok): The ousted governor of northern Kunduz province, Asadullah Omarkhel, on Monday rejected rumors he would also defy President Ashraf Ghani’s order to step down.

Two days back, President Ghani appointed five new governors including one for Kunduz province.

However, like the governor of northern Balkh province, Atta Mohammad Noor, a second governor from neighboring Samangan province, Abdul Karim Khadam, has also refused to step down until his party, the Jamiat-i-Islami takes a decision.

Abdul Jabar is among the five new governors. He has been appointed as the governor of Kunduz province, replacing Omarkhel. But no new job has been assigned to the former governor/

Omarkhel told Pajhwok Afghan News he had wholeheartedly accepted the president’s order about his removal as the governor of Kunduz province.

 “I respect the president’s order, I don’t have any difficulty with anyone who is named as new governor for Kunduz province”.

Omarkhel is a member of Dawat party.

Provincial council chief, Mohammad Yousuf Ayubi, said all the ousted governors should respect the president order. “We support the president order and other people should also support it”.

He urged the government to give Asadullah Omarkhel a new task elsewhere.

Two months ago, the Presidential Palace announced accepting Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor’s resignation. But Noor decided to continue as governor, saying he would not quit as long as the Jamiat does not ask him to do so.

pk/ma