Govt policies spark heated debate in Wolesi Jirga

KABUL Qatar office on the agenda.

A heated debate began when two lawmakers strongly criticised the government, saying it had lost all credibility.

Saleh Mohammad Saleh, a lawmaker from eastern Kunar province, said the government had not been able to win people’s trust over the past 12 years and had lost its credibility in the international community and as a result the Taliban were being recognised as an alternative to the present regime.

Kabul representative Nazifa Zaki said people in her constituency support the Taliban in the face of a corrupt and indifferent system.

“The US is left with no alternative to the present Afghan government except the Taliban. Their (Americans) sons have been killed in Afghanistan and their billions of dollars spent here. And at home, ask people in villages, those whipped by the Taliban during their rule, now want the Taliban back due to the government’s injustices,” she said.

Her remarks drew strong condemnation from fellow lawmakers. “Corruption in the present system does not mean the Taliban should rule the country again,” responded Abdul Qayyum Sajjadi, a legislator from Kabul.

“We should not accept the Taliban if the present system is corrupt. The international community is committed to us, we have a constitution. The current system gives a chance to peace talks which can put the war to an end,” he added.

He said the parliament would not allow the international community to play a political game that could hurt the sentiments of the Afghan people and could destroy their future.

Outspoken female lawmaker Shukria Barakzai said the Taliban regime was a dark period in the history of Afghanistan and the Afghans would never wish to see them back.

“The Taliban have not opened their office in Qatar to bring the Afghan people water, electricity and food. All schools and hospitals are closed in areas where the Taliban are in control. They have no belief in kalimah recited by our Afghan soldiers and they behead them and don’t let people to take part in their funerals,” she said.

She said the Taliban office had been opened in order to analyse Afghanistan and some political parties had endorsed that policy.

“Afghanistan is the only country which cannot neither be analysed nor divided. The Taliban is not an Afghan product, they are not committed to the benefits of the Afghan people.”

Another female lawmaker said any change in the present government should come through elections that she said was a legal way to bring about a change.

Fauzia Kofi said there should be a serious and unanimous discussion on the issue of Taliban office in Qatar because it was linked to the country’s future.

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