There is widespread condemnation of the Minister of Water and Energy, Ismail Khan’s, offer of assistance from former mujahedin fighters to Afghan security forces.
There is widespread condemnation of the Minister of Water and Energy, Ismail Khan’s, offer of assistance from former mujahedin fighters to Afghan security forces. But President Hamid Karzai has not revealed his mind. An investigation by Ahmad Qalanawi, Noor Wali Saeed and Esmatullah Mayar.Herat’s Governor Daud Saba has accused “jihadi” commanders of illegally distributing guns to former mujahedin fighters. On Nov 7, the Herat media office provided the press, including Killid, of documentary proof identifying Hajji Maarof Ghulami, director of the fourth district of commanders of the Jihadist Council (also, Mujahedin Council) of giving arms to former mujahedin and other people in the province. Minister Ismail Khan denied the charges at a press conference on Nov 10. “If one gun has been distributed I am ready to be convicted and face very hard punishment,” he told the press.
Members of the National Assembly, some government officials and the people of Herat have condemned the move to rearm the mujahedin. At a meeting organised by civil society in Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi hall on Nov 12, participants expressed their dismay and warned of a return to civil war years if the mujahedin are allowed to take up arms. Between 1992 and 1996, Afghanistan was torn apart by rival mujahedin factions jockeying for power.
Lal Mohammad Omarzai, leader of the Reform and Solidarity Network, was concerned the Minister for Water and Energy was conspiring to take over control after 2014. In his opinion, the country has a strong police and military and the offer of help from an armed mujahedin was a red herring.
Activist Mohammad Hasan Majroh said individuals like Minister Ismail Khan were not concerned about nation building and want to seize power through distribution of weapons. “We people of Herat will never accept that another armed force seeks to entrench itself,” he said. He urged the government to prevent the Jihadi Council from rearming the mujahedin for the sake of national unity.
Anti-constitutional
A member of the district council of Guzara, Mohammad Qasem Faqiri, expressed his support for the Afghan national army and police. “We reject any attempt to distribute weapons (to mujahedin). We count it detrimental to Afghanistan.”
Other participants included Dr Nazir Ahmad Haidarzada, member of Herat provincial council, Atifi Mansori and Mohammad Ali Qoldarwazaee, leader of Afghanistan’s Hezbullah party. The Hezbullah leader, who is famous as he lost a hand in a battle against Soviet soldiers, was clear the government must not allow the emergence of a parallel security force.
Meanwhile at a joint press conference with US Ambassador James B. Cunningham, Daud Saba, governor of Herat, said only the government has the right to arm people.
On Nov 11, some senators in the National Assembly demanded the Minister for Energy and Water should be summoned by Parliament. Bilqis Roshan, the representative of Herat in the National Assembly, said Ismail Khan was trying to bolster his position ahead of presidential elections next year. “His Excellency the Minister has showed his warlord-ship,” she said. “He has created fear among the people. The governor also has confirmed the case.” She wondered why President Hamid Karzai has remained silent. “Karzai should be asked why is he silent?” she said.
Probe the issue
According to her, the Jehadi Council had “forced” people to attend the meeting of mujahedin fighters in Herat that was addressed by Ismail Khan on Nov. 1. “People of Herat told me the Jehadi Council had forced every transport company to deploy two vehicles to transport people and also, forcibly extorted 12,500 Afs (235 USD) from them.”
Jamshidi, another representative of Herat, urged the National Assembly to send a delegation to Herat to investigate. “Ismail Khan should be summoned if the charges of weapon distribution are true. If it was false the people who have spread rumours should be summoned,” he said. Minister Ismail Khan has told the press, “If one gun has been distributed I am ready to be convicted and face very hard punishment.”
At the Herat meeting, the minister strongly criticised the Karzai government and its western allies of failing to ensure security, and said, “… now was the turn of the mujahedin”. He asserted that it would be impossible to ensure security in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US-led NATO forces without the assistance of mujahedin fighters. He claimed the Afghan government and the international forces had done their best to weaken the mujahedin in the last 10 years.
Killid tried very hard to get a comment from the presidential palace but there was no response. Only Sidiq Sidiqi, the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, has spoken to Killid. He said ensuring security and stability was the task of security forces under the Constitution. He asserted that there was no need for Afghans to worry about security after 2014. “His Excellency, the minister (of water and energy) also should not be worried,” he added.
