Parliament

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament members on Saturday termed Russia’s coordination with Afghan Taliban to counter the Islamic State or Daesh in Afghanistan as meddling in the country’s internal affairs.
They demanded an investigation into recent remarks by a top Russian diplomat about his country contact with Taliban in the fight against the Raqqa-based terrorist organization.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Wolesi Jirga on Saturday rejected by a majority vote an election-related legislative decree of President Ashraf Ghani.
The presidential decree was placed before the lower house for approval by Nasir Ahamd Hanafi, head of the legislative commission of the Wolesi Jirga.
He believed some parts of the orders needed amendments but the commission declined approvingthe measure.

KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of senators on Tuesday said the security situation of southern Helmand province was “terrible” and asked the government to take steps in this regard before it was too late.
But Lt. Gen. Murad Ali Murad, the deputy chief of armed forces, said the security situation in Helmand was under control and there was no issue to be worried about.
Meshrano Jirga member from Helmand Sher Mohammad Akhunzada said the security situation had deteriorated in most parts of the province.

KABUL (Pajhwok): A lawmaker on Tuesday claimed two foreign helicopters recently dropped off Islamic State fighters in Surkhrod district of eastern Nangarhar province, but the ground forces commander said he could not confirm or deny the claim.
Juma Din Gayanwal, a member of the Senate or Meshrano Jirga from southeastern Paktia province, asked the upper house to investigate reports that foreign helicopters had transferred some IS insurgents to Surkhro district.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The lower house of the parliament on Monday rejected the draft budget for 2016 budget, saying most of development schemes had been approved last year and there was no balance in provincial allocations.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said the 2016 draft budget had been prepared keeping in mind available funds and effectiveness of development schemes. It sought approval of the proposed accounts by the assembly in the best national interest.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The government lost millions of dollars in revenue to tax exemption on import of fuel for foreign troops through the Heratan dry port, a Wolesi Jirga delegation has learnt.
The lower house deputy secretary, Erfanullah Erfan, who headed a nine-member delegation to Heratan dry port in Balkh province and Aaqnina dry port in Faryab province, told Wednesday’s session that they observed 28,000 letters that showed private companies had imported fuel in the name of supply to foreign troops over the past few years.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Senators on Tuesday asked Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah to discuss Afghanistan’s full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at the ongoing summit of the group in China.
The 14th Heads of Government Council meeting of the SCO began in the Zhengzhou province of China on Tuesday and would end on Wednesday.
Abdullah, at the head of a high-level delegation, landed in Beijing, the capital of China, on Sunday to attend the SCO meeting, his office said.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Meshrano Jirga or upper house of the parliament on Sunday decided to summon the higher education minister over an ongoing strike by teachers of public sector universities in Kabul.
The teachers of Kabul University, Kabul medical university, Polytechnic and Education University have been on strike over the past 10 days, seeking changes to the higher education law.
They maintain if the law approved by the president through a legislative decree is not amended, they would continue their strike.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament on Saturday decided to summon the former spymaster and ask him questions about reasons behind his resignation.
On Thursday, President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignation of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief, hours after he passed critical remarks against the head of state.
“I regret,” spymaster Rahmatullah Nabil wrote a day earlier on in his Facebook page about President Ashraf Ghani’s trip to Pakistan and the warm welcome he was accorded by the host leadership.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Wednesday said it would pay arrears amounting to 3.5 billion afghanis to 90 contractors over the next four months.
Representatives of the 90 companies had earlier complained the ministry was not paying them their dues after making supplies to police units in 2012 and 2013.
The Wolesi Jirga summoned Interior Minister Noorul Haq Ulomi and Deputy Finance Minister Shafiqullah Qarizada to brief lawmakers in this regard.

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