<p><a href="/en/afganistan/kabul" class="glossify-link">KABUL</a> members on Wednesday expressed concern over a political gathering to be held tomorrow in southern Kandahar province.</p>
<p>The legislators feared the gathering in Kandahar could be used as a ‘<a href="/en/loya-jirga" class="glossify-link">Loya Jirga</a>’ to make efforts at collapsing the government.</p>
<p>It is rumored political and influential figures close to former president Hamid Karzai will attend Thursday’s gathering in Kandahar province.</p>
<p>Earlier, Karzai had said that convening a Loya Jirga would help resolve the current crisis in the country.</p>
<p>But in response, the unity government said a Loya Jirga is called into session only to discuss extremely important issues and it is the government’s authority to do so. The government has asked opposition parties to avoid steps at calling a loya jirga as it would be against the law.</p>
<p>At Wednesday’s session, lower house members discussed the issue on the assembly floor, Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi referred to the Kandahar gathering and said: “Any kind of attempt at undermining the system is national treason. Whoever plans to disrupt the system will face stiff opposition from the people.”</p>
<p>He said all political movements in the country had accepted the unity government and they should operate with the system. “If they have any kind of criticism or suggestion, they can share them in a peaceful way.”</p>
<p>“Formation of a Loya Jirga under any title while not considering the National Assembly is against the country’s Constitution.”</p>
<p>Abdul Latif Pidram, a public representative from Badakshan province, said: “There is no doubt the current system is illegitimate; but the mandate lies with the parliament how to deal with it. The Kandahar Gathering may be declared a Loya Jirga and this is not acceptable to us.”</p>
<p>“From what legal base this Loya Jirga is being held in Kandahar? If 10 individuals are gathered from each province and then the gathering is announced as a Loya Jirga then any one can conduct such gatherings.”</p>
<p>Mujiburrahaman Samkani, a lawmaker from Paktia province, called the Kandahar Gathering as against the interest of people, saying it would further increase issues in the country.</p>
<p>“Many legislators of our house have gone to Kandahar for participating in the gathering, which has no legal basis. We at Wolei <a href="/en/jirga" class="glossify-link">Jirga</a> have many important works to deal with such as selection of ministers-designate.”</p>
<p>Abdul Rauf Inami, another public representative, said: “The Kandahar gathering will pave the way for further interference of foreign intelligence in <a href="/en/afghanistan" class="glossify-link">Afghanistan</a>.”</p>
<p>There has been so far no word from the Hamid Karzai office in this regard.</p>
<p>sns/ma</p>
