Free speech, access to information key to fighting graft: VP

KABUL (Pajhwok): Second Vice President Sarwar Danish on Wednesday the freedom of expression and access to information were key elements that helped the governor fight corruption to a major extent.

Marking the International Anti-Corruption Day here, Danish termed some media investigative reports on corruption as practical demonstration of free media fighting corruption.

“Some media reports may lack credible evidence to support their claim and remain far from reality but still investigative reports have been an effective tool in fighting corruption,” he said.

The second vice president welcomed such reports and encouraged media outlets to continue doing such efforts.

He said the government might not be successful to root out corruption in the past five years but it put in place strict measures to stop the menace. He termed Afghanistan’s commitment to fighting corruption as vital.

Danish said the international community in Geneva Conference again stood by the government and people of Afghanistan and lent its support to different schemes and ensured its support until 2024.

“We in the government are committed to equipping the Anti-Corruption Commission till mid-2021 in line with the UN Convention.”

He also renewed government’s commitment to implementing laws related to corruption and assured that anti-corruption cases of high ranking officials would be referred to judicial organs.

Separately, the Afghan Paramount Welfare Development Organization (APWDO) with support of UNDP celebrated the International Anti-Corruption Day.

The gathering admired Pajhwok Afghan News head Danish Karokhel for his organization’s investigative and anti-corruption reports.

Finance Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal said that 2,000 employees of the ministry involved in corruption had been referred to the Attorney General Office.

“500 new positions would be presented for open competition in the coming six months.”

Danish Ambassador Mette Knudsen said that corruption was a major problem for all people and mostly poor people were forced to offer more bribe.

Knudsen said there was more corruption in provinces compared to the capital and renewed Denmark’s commitment to Afghanistan in fighting corruption.

December 9 is marked an International Anti-Corruption Day. Fighting corruption is a global concern. While corruption impacts every country, evidence shows that it hurts poor people disproportionately.

Corruption hinders efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violation of human rights, distorts markets, erodes quality of life and allows organised crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. It contributes to instability, poverty and is a dominant factor driving fragile countries towards state failure.

Nh/ma