Interior ministry decries political meddling

KABUL): The Ministry of Interior on Monday said police would face challenges if illegal interference from parliamentarians continued in their affairs.

A day earlier, Interior Minister Ghulam Mujtaba Patang voiced his concern at the problems created by illegal demands from some parliamentarians.

Since December, he was summoned 32 times by the Wolesi Jirga and 14 times by the Senate, he said, adding he had received 15,200 applications from lawmakers over the past four months.

Addressing a joint press conference with his NATO counterparts in Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Ghulam Siddique Siddiqui said the summons had only wasted the minister’s time.

Demands of legislators were driven by their personal interests, he claimed, saying more than 1,500 applications from MPs had been processed over the past four months.

Most of the applications were aimed at illegal appointments to different positions at the ministry, getting passports, taxi car and weapon licences and permission for more bodyguards.

“If ministry employees are appointed based on recommendations or other demands of the legislators are accepted, I don’t think Afghan police would have a bright future,” Siddiqui remarked.

He said the ministry had been working on a 10 years strategic development plan, which would prevent interference from MPs in police affairs.

“If political meddling, especially by lawmakers, continues, our police may face several problems in the future,” he warned.

In addition to taking the security responsibility from foreign forces, police had to fight terrorism and maintain election security. They should not be distracted from their main duties,” Siddiqui said.

During Monday’s session of Wolesi Jirga, some of public representatives asked the interior minister to mention the names of MPs who had made illegal demands on him.

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