2 new members of Wolesi Jirga take oath

KABUL (Pajhwok): Two new Wolesi Jirga, lower house of parliament, members from southern Kandahar and central Logar provinces were sworn in on Wednesday.

Following resignations by Roohullah Khanzada from Kandahar and Khalild Momand from Logar, the two leading candidates — Abdul Khaliq Barakzai and Mohammad Siddiq Hassanzada took oath as lawmakers.

Article 108 of the Constitution says: “In case of death, resignation and dismissal of a member of the National Assembly or disability or handicap, which impedes permanent performance of duty, the placement of the new representative for the remaining period of the legislative term shall be in accordance with provisions of the law.”

Based on paragraph 3 of Article 50 of the Election Law, a person who resigns or dies from Wolesi Jirga, the candidate from the same province who received the highest number of votes in the previous election should be sworn in as MP.

Two days ago, Habib-ur-Rehman Nang, the head of IEC Secretariat, told Pajhwok resignations of Khanzada, and Momand had been handed over to the commission by the Wolesi Jirga.

Momand, a former representation of the Logar people, told Pajhwok he had resigned on January 9 due to “family problems” and was scheduled to leave the country.

Hassanzada, born in the solar year 1346 in Logar province, has a master’s degree in economics and has worked in various government departments for more than 31 years.

The speaker’s office says Khanzada, a former representative of the people of Kandahar, resigned on December 30 following his appointment as governor of the same province.

Barakzai was also a member of the Wolesi Jirga in the 16^th legislative term of parliament and Hassanzada has found his way to the lower house for the first time.

sa/mud