KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Provincial council members of southeastern Khost province have accused some Wolesi Jirga members of interfering in their affairs, a reason they cite for their inability to elect the council chief and administrative board.
A member of the new council, Abdul Wali Wahidzai, told Pajhwok Afghan News that lower house members from Khost and other provinces were directly interfering in the council’s affairs.
“Some lower house members want their men to be elected as members of the administrative board. They also want a candidate of their choice to be elected as Senate representative in order to promote their own interests,” alleged Wahidzai.
He said the direct interference from Wolesi Jirga members had divided the council into two groups over the senatorial candidate and election of the administrative board’s members.
Another member of the council, Shukrullah Babkarkhel, also confirmed interferences by Wolesi Jirga members into their affairs.
“Some MPs have in person asked me to vote for a senatorial candidate of their choice, but I deny,” he said, alleging each member had been offered a handsome amount of money in bribe.
Babkarkhel did not disclose the amount of money offered to council members in return for voting in favour of a specific senatorial candidate.
But another member, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed each member had been offered $300,000 in bribe.
None of these council members named MPs interfering into their affairs, but said people knew them well.
Dr. Mirbat Mangal, a lower house member from Khost, during an interview with Pajhwok Afghan News did not deny or confirm interference by lawmakers into the provincial council’s affairs.
“I have no hand in this issue and I also lack evidence to say other colleagues are interfering. That’s why I cannot deny or confirm it,” the lawmaker said.
Mangal said the differences between the council members stemmed from a dispute over the election of their senatorial candidate.
He said if the council came under influence of lawmakers, it would lose its credibility and trust in people’s eyes.
Khost Independent Election Commission chief Mohammad Shafique Wafa had earlier told Pajhwok Afghan News that one of the problems in election of the administrative board was members’ unwillingness to appear for vote.
The council members were administered oath about a month back, but they have been unable so far to elect their senatorial representative and members of administrative board.
Civil society activist Mohammad Nasim said the differences among the council members had rendered the body useless and the conflict showed the members had no concern about people’s problems but wanted to serve their own interests.
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