(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT News Report
KABUL: After ending month-long disputes, Wolesi Jirga
members on Saturday finally elected Mir Rahman Rahmani as new speaker with
major of votes.
Rahmani, a businessman and MP from Parwanprovince, and Khan
Mohammad Wardak, an MP from Wardak province stood tocompete for the seat of
speaker in run-off voting, in which Rahmani elected.
In the previous voting, Rahmani had received 123 votes and
Wardak received 105 votes, which sent the voting to the run-off between them.
Rahmani received 136 votes and was elected as the new
speaker of the house, as 123 votes were required. Wardak received 96 votes only.
Dispute over speaker of the seventh Afghanistan's parliament
unleased in the very first days of parliament as the members divided into two
parties.
In the initial voting, Rahmani and Kamal Nasir Osoli, an MP
from Khost province, ran for the speaker of the house.Rahmani received 123
votes, with one inked-vote. According to law, Mr. Rahmani had to receive 124
votes to be announced as speaker.
Acting speaker of the lower house had announced Rahmani as
winner, but supporters of his rivals opposed electing Rahmani, protesting an
inked-vote. The dispute lasted for almost two months. Osoli refused to recognize
Rahmani as speaker.
Video footages from the lower house showed chaotic scenes
erupted among the lawmakers on June 19 amid the weeks-long dispute over the
inked-vote. Angry members of the Wolesi Jirga smashed the speaker's chair and
flipping his desk over to prevent businessman Rahmani from taking speaker's
seat.
The clash over Rahmani's selection as speaker was televised
and quickly video footages spread to social media, raising concerns and angers
of citizens.
In response to the impasse, 15 MPs were assigned as
committee to try to resolve the dispute, but the committee failed to make any
progress.
The dispute raised concerns over the ability of Afghan
lawmakers to agree over critical and sensitive issues amid holding Presidential
election and peace talks with the Taliban.
The country scheduled presidential vote for September 28,
over which already blame game has begun. Many presidential candidates accuse
President Ashraf Ghani of misusing government resources.
On the hand, the Afghan government has been sidelined from
U.S.-Taliban talks. The Taliban group refused to sit face-to-face with
delegation of the Afghan government.
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