KABUL (PAN): Six Wolesi Jirga members on Wednesday spurned as groundless allegations of illegal activities against them and asked the government to put Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal on the exit control list until the charges were investigated.
On Monday, Zakhilwal revealed the names of several lawmakers who he 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.
The Senate on Wednesday gave Zakhilwal an appreciation letter for exposing the public representatives. He told the upper house in addition to those already exposed some more members were also complicit in illicit actions.
But the six MPs told a press conference in Kabul Zakhilwal had levied the allegations without any evidence -- a move that was tantamount to insulting the parliament and smearing their reputations.
Abdul Zahir Qadir said Zakhiwal had "stirred up a hornet’s nest" and he should bear the consequences. The MPs had taken serious note of the allegations, he added.
"I would not sit on my seat until Zakhilwal is put on exit control list," the powerful lawmaker from eastern Nangarhar province announced.
On the flour smuggling allegation against him, Qadir said he had not brought in the commodity illegally, but it was a business. He said Zakhilwal should have revealed figures, if he had any, for tax evasion pending against him, the legislator added.
"If I have really smuggled flour and Zakhiwal has remained silent, then he is a co-accused and should be prosecuted and sentenced to jail," an angry Qadir argued.
He said he possessed $265 million, an amount he had earned from business, but Zakhiwal was making false allegations against him because of his inability to earn such an amount.
He accused the government of having hatched a plot against lawmakers, warning similar charges would be levied against other members of the august house.
Qadir said the allegations against Lalai, Mehmood Khan, Rahmani, Mohseni and Samim were baseless. He warned Zakhiwal could face problems if he failed to produce evidence in support of his claims.
He asked the Wolesi Jirga's investigation panel to probe the allegations or create a separate commission in this regard. Other lawmakers also expressed their anger over the allegations, calling them far from reality.
Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi told the session the assembly would continue to perform its constitutional duty of summoning ministers, if necessary.
He suggested the allegations against 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.