KABUL, Sept 3 (Pajhwok Afghan News): The Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) Monday approved with majority an amendment to the law pertaining to the composition of the government.

Unanimously passed by the house, the amendment requires heads of 16 independent commissions to seek votes of confidence from lawmakers - a move that is likely to meet strong resistance from the stake-holders.

The changed procedure for the appointment of heads of autonomous bodies was given the go-ahead after a heated debate, with some legislators lashing out at the role of Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf and some other members, participating in the discussion, underlined the need for making leaders of all independent commissions subordinate to Parliament, which should have the power to make new rules and amend the existing statutes governing such appointments.

"The existence of AIHRC is the need of the hour, but its members, rules and charter should be reconsidered so that all these things are cleared by the Wolesi Jirga. This is how the whole procedure can be accorded confidence of the masses," Sayyaf observed.

AIHRC members were affiliated with a certain political party, alleged the former Ittehadi Islami leader, who underlined the appointment of qualified religious scholars to the commission for accurate interpretation of different issues based on Shariah.

Qadria Yazdan Parast, echoing Sayyafs views, blamed the commission members for having links to a particular political outfit. During the last six years, the MP charged, the commission had repeatedly deviated from its mandate by siding with a certain sectarian group and interfering in the affairs of other governmental organs.

AIHRC procedures and structure ought to be reviewed so as to make the rights watchdog more focussed on its fundamental job, suggested the parliamentarian, who stopped short of naming the party or group supported by the rights activists.

Allegations from Sayyaf and Yazdan Parast inflamed Muhammad Hussain Fahimi, elected public representative from Sar-i-Pul. Their comments, based on personal views, did not contain substantive suggestions for improving the commissions performance, he said.

Sayyaf himself had a criminal track record, Fahimi claimed, saying the long-bearded man had contributed to the destruction of Kabul and civilians massacres. But the legislator from Sar-i-Pul launched the vitriolic assault on the ex-jihadi leader after he had left the house.

Appearing in no mood to end his diatribe against Sayyaf, Fahimis microphone was cut off, an act that left him and other Hazara MPs growing even angrier.

An MP from Badakhshan, Amanullah Paiman, accused AIHRC head Seema Samar of nepotism and partisanship. He recalled Samar had attended a Shiite protest a year back against the Kabul Express movie that projected the Hazara community in a bad light.

On Tuesday (tomorrow), the Wolesi Jirga will debate the findings of a probe commission that visited the Pul-i-Charkhi Prison on Sunday to assess the situation of prisoners in the wake of Saturdays rioting.

Makia Monir

mnm/mud