KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of Wolesi Jirga or lower house members on Monday claimed that customs positions were sold and bought and the acting finance minister was involved in the practice.
They said the finance minister was not ready to expose officials involved in embezzling the national revenue and thus becoming part of the corruption.
Mohammad Khalid Painda, acting finance minister on May 19, had told the Wolesi Jirga that up to eight million US dollars were embezzled daily in the country’s custom ports.
He had said that some government officials and lawmakers had employed their own people in these positions and warned of exposing the names of those involved.
The Wolesi Jirga summoned Painda to expose those who were behind the corruption, but he refused.
The house today again summoned the finance minister, but he did not attend today’s session.
Abbas Ibrahimzada, a lawmaker from Balkh province, talking to today’s session of the lower house said, “Custom positions in the country’s ports and financial resources are sold, each position of custom is sold for hundreds of thousands US dollars, the reason the minister is not ready to expose the list is that he is also involved in the corruption.”
Javid Safi, a lawmaker from Kunar province, talking to the house’s speaker, said, “There are enough documents that customs positions are sold, there are documents with the Finance and Budget Commission of the lower house that shows the finance minister is monopolizing financial resources, Mr. speaker, ask the commission to provide a detailed report about the corruption going on in the finance ministry.”
NaheedFarid, a lawmaker from Herat province, said that the finance minister was ‘king’ and was answerable to the Presidential Palace only.
She asked for the referral of Painda to the Attorney General Office and said that his performance was in violation of the law.
The decisions of the Ministry of Finance were not based on the national interest, but based on advisors who lived outside of Afghanistan, she added.
However, Abbas Ibrahimzada, a lawmaker from Balkh said, “Officials in the past too has been referred to AGO, but the AGO and courts are selected by the government and they are unable to respond to such cases.”
HamidaAhmadzai, nomads representative in Wolesi Jirga, also said that there were documents that show seats in the Ministry of Finance were sold and a decision should be taken against the finance minister.
A number of other lawmakers held similar views and asked for referral of Painda to AGO.
Mir RahmanRahmani, Wolesi Jirga speaker, tasked the Finance and Budget Commission of the house to organize a joint meeting with the finance minister and provide a report about allegations against the minister in the near future.
However, most of lawmakers rejected Rahmani’s request. Rahmani said that the issue would be followed in the next meeting.
Pajhwok Afghan News tried to contact the finance ministry on the regard, but no one turned up for comments.
Mds/ma
