Chaos over child rights law disrupts WJ session

KABUL session went futile on Wednesday after some lawmakers opposed the approval of Child Rights Protection Law.

On Monday, the Wolesi Jirga approved a legislative decree on the draft child rights protection law but some lawmakers opposed the article three of the law and said the quorum was incomplete for the vote.

According to reports, the Child Rights Protection Law was added to the Wolesi Jirga agenda four times over the last four years, but could not be approved due to differences over the article 3 of the law.

Today, the acting finance minister appeared before the house to provide information about last year’s expenditure report, but the session was disrupted by MPs opposing the article three of the Child Rights Protection Law.

The article three defines child who is below 18 years of age. However, opponents of the article say the article is in conflict with Islamic rules and constitution of the country.

They say the article should be amended and a child should be one below the age of 18 years or have no signs of puberty before the age of 18.

Eng. Mohammad Alam Qarar, a lawmaker from Laghman province, said that the approval of the law should be reconsidered as the quorum was incomplete the day it was approved. He said the law was also in conflict with Islamic values.

Qazi Nazir Ahmad Hanafi, another lawmaker from Herat, had similar views and said lawmakers who left the house in protest over the law passage on Monday should come for discussion over the law to today’s session.

However, Rangina Kargar, a lawmaker from Faryab province, said, “If some says the law is in conflict with Islamic values and the constitution, then the law should be referred to the Supreme Court for interpretation.”

She said a small number of lawmakers could not cancel the law until two-thirds members of the house decided about it.

Ghulam Hussain Naseri, a lawmaker from Kabul, said the law was no in conflict with Islamic rules and the constitution and he was ready to debate about it with anyone.

However, a number of lawmakers wanted the issue to be included to the agenda of today’s session of the house.

Mir Rahman Rahmani, speaker of the house, suggested the issue be decided based on lawmakers vote, but lawmakers opposed the idea which caused the session to disrupt.

Later Rahmani ended the session without any results achieved on the issue.

The acting finance minister arrived in the house when the session had concluded, therefore he had no chance to talk.

Shamroz Khan Masjedi, Ministry of Finance spokesman, said it was for the second time the acting finance minister arrived in the parliament but failed to talk due to disruption of the house sessions.

mds/ma