Illiterate personnel presence led to Islam Qala blaze

KABUL (Pajhwok): A Ministry of Defence (MoD) worker and his brother with no educational background have been appointed to receive samples of goods at the Islam Qala Port that witnessed a massive fire outbreak recently.

Documents show the cause of the fire outbreak in the port was the appointment of illiterate and unprofessional personnel like the MoD servant and several others.

According to available documents, Aziz Ahmadzai, head of the Afghanistan National Standards Authority (ANSA), had earlier served as the Human Resource Head of MoD.

After taking charge as ANSA head, Ahmadzai appointed some of his colleagues from MoD as acting heads of some ANSA sections.

Hundreds of tankers loaded with patrol and other goods were reduced to ashes in the fire incident on February 13. According to businessmen, the fire inflicted nearly $1 billion financial losses on traders.

Some sources told Pajhwok Afghan News nearly 40 people were killed and tens of others injured due to the mammoth fire in the Islam Qala Port.

Who is MoD servant and his brother?

According to available documents, Abid Shah, the son of Hazrat Shah, is an uneducated person, but he has been appointed as assistant in ANSA Directorate of Sample Testing by the signature of ANSA Head Aziz Ahmadzai.

Abid Shah was appointed for six months on this post on December 30/2020 against 13,000 afs salary.

According to another letter, Khawaja Abid Shah was appointed as servant in Construction Affairs Department of MoD on October 27/2019.

A part of the letter showed that Khawaja Abid Shah has no educational credentials, has no field of higher education and he is not familiar with any foreign language.

In addition, Khawaja Abid Shah’s brother Sabir Shah was appointed as in-charge samples collection in the Islam Qala Port against 13,000 afs salary on September 23/2020 on the verbal direction of ANSA Head Aziz Ahmadzai.

A letter in this regard says: “Khwaja Sabir Shah is appointed in-charge to collect samples at Torghondai Port, but on verbal direction of ANSA Head Office, he would serve as sample collection in-charge in Islam Qala Port.

This letter that talk about the verbal direction regarding the transfer of Khawaja Sabir Shah is signed by ANSA head as well.

In another letter regarding Sabir Shah, it was said that he has no educational background and no work experience.

On the other hand, ANSA officials had written a complaint letter to President Ghani on February 24 in which ANSA head’s unprofessional conduct of affairs, misuse of authority, unprofessional appointments and embezzlement had been highlighted.

A part of the letter said that ANSA head appointed two brothers Sabir Shah and Abid Shah as sample collecting in-charge and assistant in Islam Qala Port. The two brothers are illiterate and have no educational background.

It added that due to appointments of unprofessional and uneducated people, the fire incident happened in Islam Qala Port.

According to a source, Sabir Shah his another colleague Najibullah have been arrested by Herat police after the fire incident and were currently being investigated.

MoD officials appointed in ANSA:

According to the documents from the MoD Human Resource and other departments, former Human Resource head who is currently ANSA Head, has appointed over 10 former MoD employees as acting officials to different technical positions in ANSA.

Educational background and work experience of employees have not been considered in these appointments and such moves could lead to corruption and waste of state revenue.

As part of evidence Pajhwok got documents of the following officials.

• Rahimullah son of Attaullah, former deputy head of human resources in 215 Maiwand Military Corps, has been appointed a third grade acting Deputy Head of Laboratories in Islam Qala Port
• Abdul Wali, son of Mohammad Yousuf, former director of recruitment at MoD Human Resource Department is appointed a fourth grade acting General Director Documents Approval in the Islam Qala Port
• Azizullah, son of Haji Zmarak, former Human Resource Structure Expert at MoD Human Resource Department is appointed as fourth grade acting Deputy Head of General Directorate of Documents Approval in Islam Qala Port.
• Masoud son of Gada, a former fourth grade employee of MoD Procurement Department, is appointed as fourth grade deputy general director of monitoring and standards implementation in Torghondai Port
• Maryam, daughter of Mohammad Yaqub, former fourth grade employee of MoD Policy and Logistic Department, is appointed as deputy head of ANSA coordination.
• Ehsanullah, son of Abdul Azeem, former Director Civil Service-members at Mod Human Resource Department is appointed as acting General Director Document Approval in Islam Qala Port and his brother Lutfullah Eshrat son of Mohammad Azeem was appointed as fourth grade acting General Director of Documents Approval in Hairatan Port.

A letter available with Pajhwok Afghan News shows that Ehsanullah Ahmadzai disappeared on his way to Islam Qala Port on December 19/ 2020.

Documents also show that ANSA has appointed acting officials in some other ports as well with no relevant educational credentials and experience.

Ahmad Fawad Habibi, secretary to ANSA head, has been appointed in the third grade of Hairatan Standards Department in Hairatan Port

Sharif Hanifi, son of Mohammad Hanif, a fourth grade officer in ANSA Nimroz secretariat, is 12th class graduate and is appointed as third grade acting deputy head of Nimroz office.

The source said that Himmatullah Waziri, a close relative of ANSA Head Aziz Ahmadzai, has no official authority but still kept contact with all heads of ports and threatens them. In this way he extorts them directly under the directions of ANSA Head Ahmadzai.

It is worth mentioning that recently ANSA Head Ahmadzai got orders for the appointment of an individual called Waziri who will be appointed as acting head of monitoring.

IACSRC: Some ANSA posts held by acting officials:

The Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Services Commission (IARCSC) in an official letter No. 650 dated January 21/2021 wrote to the ANSA that several positions of this institution were administered by acting officials.

IARCSC asked ANSA to identify vacant posts to them so they could refer them for announcement and fill the posts by professional and qualified people.

Technical Assistant team of ANSA, in a separate letter directed ANSA Human Resource Department to identify vacant posts and those posts administered by acting officials in line with the guidelines of IARCSC and refer them for open competition.

Herat Chamber of Commerce: ANSA personnel in Islam Qala Port are not professional:

Rafi Rahmani, assistant executive head of Herat Chamber of Commerce, said there was no separate and isolated place for examination of goods in Islam Qala Port.

He said: “ANSA personnel get a sample of gas and tests it in open area and this shows the level of the unprofessional approach.”

He said ANSA has no facility for the protection of samples in Islam Qala Port and took no protective measures as well.

ANSA refutes all statements:

Pajhwok shared all matters with ANSA Head Aziz Ahmadzai, but he said that media office of ANSA had been directed to answer all questions of Pajhwok.

ANSA Media Wing Personnel BrishkiHanafi said that ANSA has no unprofessional and unqualified employee in any port including Islam Qala port.

He said no employee by the name of Sabir Shah exists in Islam Qala Port, but Abid Shah worked as assistant in sample collection affairs and he only discharges common affairs.

Referring to MoD employees’ appointment in ANSA, Hanifi said: “We have no employees in ANSA by the names you mentioned”

Referring to Islam Qala blaze, he said the incident did not happen during sample collection process therefore no personnel of ANSA suffered harm in the incident.

nh/ma