Bashardost was speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, a day after the government announced it was establishing an anti-corruption task force consisting of investigators from the Interior Ministry and National Security Directorate to investigate kidnappings, corruption, as well as organised crime.
Flanked by the
On Sunday, the London-based Guardian newspaper reported that Western soldiers were to begin investigating high-profile Afghans suspected of involvement in graft
Without mentioning any particular corruption cases against the two vice presidents, the French-educated parliamentarian called for referring Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Karim Khalili to judicial organs.
The number of corrupt officials in different government departments, including the cabinet, stood at 500, he claimed while showing journalists a file that he said carried the names of those involved in embezzlement.
Bashardost insisted the trial of the graft-tainted officials would greatly help in discouraging administrative corruption. "This file in my hand carries the names with evidence of officials involved in corruption."
He proposed the establishment of an anti-corruption ministry assisted by 500 commandos to net the big fish. "The proposed ministry should have a special court consisting of five independent judges to handle corruption cases," he suggested.
Bashardost, who denounced some government officials and departments as corrupt, was equally critical of international organisations including the United Nations and stressed their investigation.
The former planning minister termed the construction of houses in
He resigned as planning minister from Karzai's cabinet after his directives for closing about 2,000 NGOs allegedly involved in corruption were not carried out.
Asked if he would accept an offer from the government to head the proposed anti-corruption ministry, Bashardost replied: "You will never see me again sitting in the Karzai cabinet. I have already tasted this."
ma/mud
Add new comment