KABUL - As a dispute continues to rage over the suggested change in the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) power transmission route, members of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) remain divided in their opinions.
A number of parliamentarians said the project should be implemented through Bamyan, while others want the power transmission line to go through Salang.
"500 kilovolt power, which was expected to go through Bamyan, is the right of people and it is clear," said Khudadad Urfani, one MP.
"The issue of 500 kilovolt electricity is a human issue, it is not tribal issue, nor an issue which only belongs to Bamyan, but it belongs to all the people of Afghanistan," said Ghulam Hussain Naseri, another lawmaker.
Other lawmakers stressed that the project should be implemented through Salang.
"When the electricity was expected to be generated from coal then it was said that it should be transmitted through Bamiyan, now that electricity generation from coal is not possible, there is no discussion of Bamyan anymore, " said Shenkai Karokhel, a lawmaker.
"Now that the implementation of the project is being hindered, do you know that World Bank or Asian Bank will accept (that the power line goes through Bamyan). Allah forbid, we will lose this project," said Nasima Niazai, another MP.
However, there were also other views regarding the project in the Wolesi Jirga.
"The government has the responsibility to supply power to Bamyan and Paktia, but we should not allow [this project] to destroy the system and create differences among people," said Saleh Mohammad Saleh, an MP.
"Discussions over this issue everyday do not do any good for the people of Afghanistan and we are somehow fanning the differences among people. It is not in the interest of Afghanistan," said Abdul Rauf Ebrahimi, another lawmaker.
A large number of people in Afghanistan launched protests last week to urge the government to implemented power transmission project through Bamyan and they warned to continue their protests, if their demands were not addressed. (Tolonews)