KABUL – Afghanistan’s* ousted Balkh governor and executive director ofJamiat-e-Islami party Atta Mohammad Noor said on Sunday at a meeting inBalkh that the centralized government system has led to a crisis in thecountry. *
Noor blasted the Presidential Palace and accused it of monopolizing power.He also warned that if this continues, the situation in the country willdeteriorate.
“Afghanistan’s experiences in the past 16 years show that this centralizedsystem that has given all the powers and authorities to one person had noresult for the people, except (to bring about)poverty, insecurity,discrimination and corruption,” said Noor.
Speaking at a meeting entitled “National Consultative Discourse” inMazar-e-Sharif, Noor said no results have come out of the government-Jamiatparty negotiations so far and no decision has been taken about the party’sdemands.
“Nothing has been achieved on important issues such as electronic NationalIdentity Cards, political parties’ share in parliamentary elections andreforms in the election process,” he added.
Speaking in Herat, President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile said the authorities ofthe president do not belong to only one person and that he has establishedhigh councils to ensure progress is made in terms of good governance.
“President’s authorities do not belong only to one person, but belongs tothe presidential palace. Thus, creation of high councils will help us toinstitutionalize the authorities,” said Ghani.
Meanwhile, a number of participants at Sunday’s meeting said Noor shouldstay on as governor and that monopoly of power and political tensions needto end.