Danish stressed neutral, apolitical police force

KABUL (Pajhwok): Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish on Sunday said decisions based on party, ethnic, language and region affiliations were a challenge that could deviate the Afghan police from the right path.

Danish, who introduced four newly-appointed deputy ministers at the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoI) to their colleagues at a ceremony here, said in the current situation, it was necessary to give new people a chance to take responsibilities.

Murad Ali Murad took charge as senior security affairs minister at MoI, Janan Barakzai as first deputy, Amin Karim as deputy administrative minister and Abdul Khalil Bakhtyar as counternarcotics minister on the occasion.

Danish said police were the symbol of authority and sovereignty, but they were servants of the people as well and their fundamental duty was ensuring discipline, order, justice and rule of law in society.

He called police role as important in ensuring security of people and emphasized on a neutral and apolitical police free from party or ethnic affiliations.

The VP asked the MoI officials not to become under pressure over appointments and take care of standard and capacity.

He also said the police were an institution that should fight corruption as a crime. Sometimes reports in national and international media claimed promotions, appointments and dismissals in the Ministry of Internal Affairs were not transparent and sold for money. 

Danish said: "Besides the success and progress the Ministry of Interior has achieved, it is necessary to overcome shortcomings in the force. We should join hands to make a comprehensive program for reforms in police ranks and prove rumors about police as baseless”.

kh/ma