Parwan prison handover soon

 KABUL): The US military would soon transfer all affairs of the Bagram detention facility to Afghan authorities, President Hamid Karzai’s chief spokesman said on Saturday.

In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Aimal Faizi said Karzai spoke earlier in the day on the thorny issue with the top ISAF commander and the US ambassador.

He added the government, having done the required homework in terms of technical preparations and legal rights of inmates, was fully poised for the prison’s transition.

Although the spokesman did not give a specific timeline, he said the handover would happen pretty soon.

On Wednesday, the Afghan defence ministry spokesman said progressed had been made on the lingering jail transfer issue that also figured prominently at a meeting between President Hamid Karzai and his US counterpart Barack Obama at the White House in January.

Transition of the jail to Afghan control had reached final stages as a result of a series of negotiations, Gen. Zahir Azimi said, adding the two sides had agreed on transferring 99 percent of Bagram detention centre’s affairs to Afghan authorities.

Last year, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on transferring the notorious jail in central Parwan province and its inmates to the Afghan government. But due to legal disputes, the deal has run into snags.

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