KABUL - The rift between the Presidential Palace and the Chief Executive Office (CEO) has reportedly deepened and CEO Abdullah Abdullah is scheduled to announce his new stance at a gathering.
The differences between the two leaders resurfaced three days ago, when Abdullah criticized President Ghani for what he said having no time to meet him.
Abdullah also expressed his displeasure over some appointments which the president ordered without consulting his chief executive.
After Abdullah’s criticism, the Presidential Palace issued a statement that called Abdullah’s remarks as irresponsible and against the principles of governance.
But a source close to the unity government told Pajhwok Afghan News that the real dispute between the two leaders was over a possible removal of the acting Balkh governor, Atta Mohammad Noor, and the removal of Ahmad Mashahid, a son-in-law of late former president Ustad Rabbani.
Ahmad Mashahid was last week appointed as advisor to the president and removed as the administrative reforms chief, a post he held for the past 14 years.
The source said another reason that provoked Abdullah’s ire were massive changes in the Attorney General Office (AGO).
The relations between the two government leaders further deteriorated on Sunday when President Ghani indirectly criticized Abdullah Abdullah at the launching ceremony of the youth parliament.
The president stressed national unity in his speech and declared that the days of making unilateral decisions had gone in Afghanistan.
The source close to the unity government said Abdullah was very angry over the president’s latest remarks.
A source close to Abdullah said the CEO was holding consultative meetings with his group’s leaders since yesterday and he met with Afghanistan Protection and Stability party leader Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf in Paghman district of Kabul on Sunday.
He said it was predicted that Abdullah would announce his new stance at a gathering of 500 people and would release the resolution to the media.
It is said efforts at high level were made since yesterday to reduce the tension between the two leaders, but to no avail.
With the emergence of the political tension, a number of foreign diplomats had stared meeting the CEO. Pajhwok tried to seek comments from the spokesmen of the Presidential Palace and the CEO office, but could not succeed.(Pajhwok)