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Some Laghman residents will not vote in next election

author avatar
27 Jul 2011 - 15:06
author avatar
27 Jul 2011 - 15:06

MEHTARLAM (PAN): Some residents of eastern Laghman province say they will not cast votes for any candidate in next parliamentary election because their MPs did not keep their promises.

The province has three seats in the Wolesi Jirga, one reserved for a woman.

A resident of Mehtarlam city, Gul Ahmad Mohabbat, told Pajhwok Afghan News that candidates had promised to implement reconstruction projects and fulfill residents’ basic needs.

 “We were not aware that it is not in their authority, but they got our votes by cheating,” he said.

Some people cast votes for reasons of personal relationships or money, but fewer people cast votes in the national interest, he said.

The winning candidates have not asked constituents about their needs. People in the province face health, and transportation problems, but Wolesi Jirga MPs had no authority to solve them, he said.

“The role of the public representative is to be a bridge between the people and the government, but our MPs only come to visit relatives,” he said.

Abdul Karim, a resident of the Alingar district, also said residents had many problems and that no one was there to solve them.

“A candidate won with our votes, and we haven’t seen him since the campaign. We don’t know why people call them public representatives,” he said. “The candidates promised to provide electricity, but they did nothing.”

 “Many people are unhappy with the MPs and regret having voted for the candidates. They are not ready to vote for the candidates in the future,” he said.

A resident of Qarghee district said that some parts of their lands are flooded each year. Candidates promised them the construction of a retaining wall against the river.

An MP from the province, Mohammad Hasan Mamozai, said that the demands and criticisms of the people were legitimate, but that the MPs did not currently have the resources to solve all problems in a short period of time.

He said he had listened to some constituent complaints and presented them to the Ministries of Public Health, Agriculture, and Rehabilitation and Rural Development. Some of the issues would be taken up soon, he said.

He assured the people of Laghman that all four provincial MPs would take urgent steps to solve problems for the people.

Wahida Safi, a Laghman representative in the Meshrano Jirga.

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