Afghanistan- Failed WJ Candidates Warn to Create Parallel Parliament

(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) KABUL - Some unsuccessfulWolesi Jirga candidates on Sunday warned of creating ‘a parallel parliament' incase the lawmakers failed to resolve the ongoing conflict over speaker's slot.
On May 16, the election for thespeaker slot became controversial after one vote polled for Mir Rahman Rahmaniwas declared invalid.
Rahmani had bagged 123 votes--- one vote short of the required threshold against his opponent Kamal NasirUsoli whocollected more than 50 votes.
The lawmakers have since beenunable to reach an agreed roadmap regarding the one controversial vote whichRahmani's supporters termed valid.
On Wednesday, scuffles brokeout in Wolesi Jirga between lawmakers as part of the ongoing dispute over thespeaker position and led to suspension of the house live broadcast.
As the conflict continued, the‘Political Movement' of unsuccessful Wolesi Jirga candidates from differentprovinces on Sunday came hard on the newly elected parliament.
Mohammad Tahir Rustami, a member of themovement, criticized the ongoing Wolesi Jirga conflict and said from the pastone month, the lawmakers had been unable to elect their chairman, then how theywould address the country's issues and challenges.
He said a number of lawmakersas 'traitors and corrupt and had hijacked the country's fate after cuttingdeals in dollars.
He said such legislators wantedto earn a bad name to Afghanistan in the world. 'If the Wolesi Jirga issue isnot resolved, we would create a parallel lower house of parliament.
Mohammad Daulat Katawazai,another failed Wolesi Jirga election candidate and member of the mentionedmovement, said: 'Such lawmakers won the election through power and gold but nowto they are unable to address the country's problems and elect their housechief.
He warned if the government did not take stepsto solve the issue, the upcoming presidential elections would face acatastrophe.
A number of other unsuccessfulWolesi Jirga election candidates held similar views and warned of creating aparallel Wolesi Jirga.
In their resolution letter, thefailed candidates called for huge reforms in the electoral bodies and urgedUNAMA to create a special court for investigation of rigging in the WolesiJirga elections on Oct 20, 2018.
At the end, the unsuccessfulWolesi Jirga candidates warned of staging huge demonstrations across thecountry in case their demands were not considered. (Pajhwok)

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