Another Government Corruption Scandal

18 January 2016

By Shahamat Emarat

The Kabul Bank case has not yet fully subsided before another government corruption scandal came to surface. A couple of weeks ago independent media sources revealed a report by Parliament's Drug-Prevention Committee on the scale of government corruption. Details of this report are provided below.

The report stated that up until 2014, foreign donors had injected just over 41 billion dollars in hard currency into Afghanistan. However corrupt officials – including at the highest level – embezzled over 21 billion dollars from this amount in such a manner that they have left no traces of records behind.

The majority of these funds had been earmarked for the Kabul security sector such as the training and recruitment of trainees and as salaries for the enlisted men. According to the report a large amount of this missing cash was extracted under guises of ghost soldiers and enlistments.

In addition the 90% of the oil supplies that were imported in the country to supply the foreign occupying forces were stolen by over a dozen supply firms which according to the Committee's report are owned by high ranking army and government officials.

The corrupt officials of Kabul regime consistently accuse the Mujahideen of impeding progress and development in Afghanistan, while in reality the Mujahideen have always encouraged development in this nation and offered their full cooperation in those projects that are not driven by ulterior motives. The Mujahideen only oppose those projects which are forwarded by corrupt officials or which use such projects to advance ulterior motives harmful to Afghan society.

Yet despite all this the officials of Kabul regime and their foreign backers continuously argue that had it not been for the presence of the Mujahideen, they would have taken great strides in development of this country.

Now slowly but surely we are being exposed to government scandals through which officials divert all donor funds for their own personal accounts. These officials demoted national interests for their personal interests and have no other motive than to fill their own coffers.

If foreign donors really wish to help Afghanistan then they should shun government channels for funneling their funds and instead insist on the establishment of accountable and transparent organizations for overseeing and distributing foreign funds. If they continue with their failed method then they will only be causing more harm to the Afghan society rather than bettering their lot. 

©  EsinIslam.Com

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