Body to investigate charges against lawmakers

KABUL on Saturday decided to set up a committee for investigating Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal’s allegations against six lawmakers.

On Monday, Zakhilwal revealed the names of several lawmakers who he had accused of smuggling and making illegal demands on the government.

The MPs include Abdul Zahir Qadir, Mohammad Naeem Hamidzai Lalai, Mohammad Azim Mohseni, Mohammad Arif Rahmani, Mahmud Khan Sulaimankhel and Samiullah Samim.

On Wednesday, the six lower house members spurned as groundless the allegations leveled against them and asked the government to put Zakhilwal on the exit control list until the charges were probed.

Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi told the session the charges against the MPs should be investigated by a competent authority. He said the house had recommended the creation of a special committee to probe the charges, but a decision on its formation could not be taken due lack of quorum.

During Saturday’s session, Zahir Qadir and Naeem Lalai once against rejected the accusations and asked the minister to pay damages for hurting their reputations.

By a majority votes, the legislators decided the allegations be investigated by a special committed comprising MPs and civil society members.

Ibrahimi ruled results of the investigation would be shared with judicial organs.

myn

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