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Roundup: Afghan parliament disqualifies another minister amid opposition by Arg

Xinhua, November 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Afghan Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of parliament disqualified another minister on Monday on the ground of failure in spending development budget, bringing the number of disqualified ministers to six since launching the move of no trust on Saturday.

On Monday's session, the lawmakers dismissed Farida Mohmand, the minister for higher education, with majority, while the minister for Urban development and the minister for Justice have survived the move.

The move has taken place amid opposition by Arg or Presidential Palace as Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, according to local media reports, has urged Wolesi Jirga to postpone the ministers' disqualification process, a call spurned by the lawmakers.

In a similar move on Sunday, the lawmakers dismissed ministers for transport and education, but minister for finance narrowly escaped the vote of no confidence.

Earlier on Monday, the Lower House had dismissed the minister for foreign affairs, the minister for Public Works and the minister for Social Services, citing poor performances and failure to spend allocated budgetary funds on time.

The Afghan government has 25 ministries and more ministers will be summoned in coming days to the Lower House of parliament over failure of spending development budget and few more of them might be disqualified on the same ground.

Summoning and sacking ministers by Wolesi Jirga is taking place at a time when militants loyal to the hardliner Taliban and Islamic State outfits have increased activities in the insurgency-riddled country.

President Ghani, in a letter delivered to Wolesi Jirga on Sunday, asked the lawmakers to further evaluate the performances of disqualified ministers in line with the constitution.

However, the move initiated by legislators to disqualify ministers has drawn mixed reactions among Afghans, according to local media reports.

"Members of parliament should work based on the national interest and they should consider the fragility of political situation in the country," an analyst Keramudin Rezazada told local media.

"Disqualifying ministers should not continue," another analyst Sayed ali Rezas Mohamadi said, according to local media reports. Endit