The High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption has again accused Minister of Water and Power, Ismail Khan, and Herat mayor, Mohammad Salim Taraki, of grabbing properties of the Majid Zabuli Charity Foundation valued at millions of dollars
The High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption has again accused Minister of Water and Power, Ismail Khan, and Herat mayor, Mohammad Salim Taraki, of grabbing properties of the Majid Zabuli Charity Foundation valued at millions of dollars. Zabuli was the founder of Bank Millie Afghan.Azizullah Ludin, the head of the anti-corruption office told journalists the government does not have the political will to take action against people in power. Zabuli had willed his enormous wealth, estimated at 200 million dollars, to the cause of education and the needy.
Ludin said Ismail Khan has taken over a house and the Herat mayor a market belonging to Zabuli. Both are collecting rent on the properties. According to his estimate both properties are valued at 22 million USD.
Ludin said a delegation comprising representatives from eight ministries had investigated the complaint in 2004. Investigations showed lands valued at 100 million dollars had been usurped by Ismail Khan. According to Ludin, the office of the Attorney General (AG) has done nothing regarding the matter.
Seeking justice
However, Rahmatullah Nazari, the assistant director in the AG’s office told Killid in an exclusive interview that the lawsuit has been filed in court. It was now up to the court to decide whether President Karzai’s powerful water and power minister has usurped the land that Zabuli gave to the government. Nazari said he has handled the case. “We were able to confirm the properties in Kabul, Nangarhar and Herat were Zabuli’s.”
Nazari said a proxy of Zabuli’s heir donated the house to Ismail Khan’s wife. The legal deed of the house is with the minister, he added.
Ludin has also accused the mayor of Herat of taking control of a caravanserai and 3,000 jeribs of land. However, the mayor has denied the charge in an interview with Killid. He insisted that he was ready to appear before a court of law. “It would be better if Ludin hands over the issue to the judiciary instead of taking it to the court of the media!” he said.
Meanwhile, a report published in May by the independent Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) quoted the Zabuli Charity’s representative saying the Ministry of Defence has grabbed lands in Kabul, Herat and Nangarhar.
