Avoid haste in BSA approval, lawmakers tell new govt

KABUL members on Tuesday cautioned the incoming government of president-elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai against concluding the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States in haste.

Plenty of debates had taken place in the past on the security deal that would allow thousands of American and NATO beyond the end of the current year.

The Loya Jirga and foreign troops stopped raiding Afghan homes.

Speaking in today’s session, Senator Nisar Ahmad Haris said the newly-elected government should ink the BSA in the larger interest of Afghanistan and its people.

Equipment for Afghan forces, particularity the air force, end to infiltration of terrorists into Afghan territories and elimination of their sanctuaries across the Afghan borders were linked to the accord and were key demands of the people of Afghanistan, he said. 

His colleague Hidayatullah Rehaee said Afghanistan’s interests should be kept supreme while inking the BSA.

Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, who presided over the session, said the new government should strive hard to make the BSA serve Afghanistan’s interest.

After the announcement of the presidential election results, the US has started building pressure on the new administration for prompt inking of the agreement that President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign.

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