Some MPs accused of receiving bribes from ministers

Fuente: 
Pajhwok
Fecha de publicación: 
12 Oct 2015

 

Khwaja Basir Ahmad Fitri.-

KABUL (Pajhwok): A Wolesi Jirga member on Monday accused some lawmakers of receiving bribes from ministers in return for cancelling parliamentary summons.

Based on Article 92, a minister could be summoned by the suggestion of 20 percent of lawmakers. If the minister could not provide satisfactory answers, he or she can be unseated with a no-confidence vote by a majority of MPs.

Maulvi Abdur Rahman Rahmani, a lower house member from northern Balkh province, criticised the performance of some ministers and blamed the Wolesi Jirga for not holding them accountable.

He said that the form for summoningInterior Minister Noorul Haq Ulumi was filled out last week by some lawmakers, but no one paid any attention to it.

Mirbat Khan, another MP from southeastern Khost province, echoed the view, hitting out at the Wolesi Jirga’sAdministrative Board for taking no action against the minister.

Some other public representatives alleged that a number of their colleagues cut under-the-table deals with ministers on exempting them from appearing before the MPs on issues of public interest.

But Speaker Abdur Rauf Ibrahimi explained the form to summon the interior minister had been signed by 68 lawmakers, whose number later dropped to 48 after the form was referred to commission heads.

He said 50 lawmakers’ signatures (20 percent of the house members) were requiredfor summoning the minister.Ibrahimi added the form was signed by 50 MPs for a second time few days ago.

The issue was not put on the agenda because there were no strong reasons for summoning Ulumi, the speaker maintained.

On the other hand, Abdur Rahim Ayubi from Kandahar charged some of his colleagues received money from ministers to prevent them from being summoned.

After expressing this speech, his microphone was turned off. Some lawmakers said that Ayubi should be allowed so he could prove his claims.

Abdul Hafiz Mansoor, a legislator from Kabul, said if Ayubi had evidence, he should present it to the people; otherwise he should be unseated.

But Ayubi responded by expressing his willingness to share the list of MPs involved in taking bribes from ministers.The speaker told Ayubi to present his evidencewith MPs on Wednesday.

Fuente: http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2015/10/12/some-mps-accused-receiving-bribes-m...