While existence of Afghan parliament is crucial for the country from many aspects, its performance has been under serious criticism from the public and other political and non-political circles. Parliament is where important national decisions are taken and laws are passed. Nonetheless, since the second parliamentary election in 2010, the Afghan government has given little or no importance to the parliament of the country and MPs have always been under direct influence of presidential palace or cabinet members.
MPs have been observed pursuing their own personal objectives and interests rather than having any focus on the proper management of core national issues to benefit the country. A recent example is presidential election in which a majority of lawmakers unblushingly participated in campaigning for the candidates and remained continuously absent from parliamentary sessions.
Whether it is a law or budget, it always takes from weeks to months before the parliament approves it. Examples are numerous. On Saturday, however, Afghan parliament approved a new law for their personal benefit with a huge majority and without delay of any kind. To minimize public criticism, approval of the law took place on a day when all the attention was diverted towards improvement in breaking the political deadlock produced by recent round of presidential election.
Out of 125 MPs present in the parliament on Saturday, 117 voted for approval of the law ‘Protection and Rights of Parliamentarians.’ Based on this law, members of the parliament will be entitled to certain benefits and allowance during and after their 5-year term. After MPs term comes to an end, they will continue to receive 25% ($3,400) of their salary and the government is obliged to provide them with two bodyguards. Moreover, after an MP completes his or her term, he or she will continue to possess a political passport and his or her family will bear service passports. The law has four chapters and 20 articles containing other kinds of benefits for the parliamentarians.
Endorsement of this law without keeping the media and public in picture beforehand has seen wide criticism especially from Afghan users of the social media websites. More than 60% of Afghan population is living below or slightly above the poverty line. Each year thousands of civilians are killed. Afghanistan is still grabbed by serious political, social and economic challenges. This is the core responsibility of the parliamentarians to ponder over the condition of the people and represent them in true means. Regretfully, over the past years, Afghan lawmakers have established a disappointing fact of selfishness. They give more importance to their and their families’ interests and have been involved in various kind dealings to gain more wealth, fame and authority.