SHIBERGHAN - First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum has accused heads of the unity government of ethnic favoritism, warning they were pushing the country towards destruction.
Talking to reporters in Shiberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, Dostum expressed concern over the current situation and asked President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah to concentrate on dealing with national issues.
He claimed nepotism was the order of the day in the nation’s capital. The CEO always appointed people of his community to high positions in utter disregard of merit, while President Ghani preferredhiring ethnic Pakhtuns, he maintained.
Both leaders were pulling in different directions, the VP said, adding there were issues the president and the CEO did not want to share. Other top government leaders were kept out of the loop on of questions of national importance, he complained.
Gen. Dostum said the president -- surrounded by Hanif Atmar, Masoom Stanekzai and Salam Rahimi -- accepted everything they said. “The president will accept milk is black if they say so.”
He went on to ask: “What does Dr. Abdullah wants to prove by applying facial creams and giving speeches. I having my roots in society and don’t have evil intentions. All I want is an end to the clashes and fights. I don’t want to get any phone call informing me of someone’s death.”
He saidthe corps commander for the north, appointed by the government leaders, did not deserve his post. “They want to paint Gen. Dostum as a weak leader in the north and isolate him with their inappropriate behavior. But Gen. Dostum has already passed many tests.” The VP commented.
The jihadi figures appointed by Ghani and Abdullah to key military posts had never seen a military base and could not command even 100 soldiers, Dostum continued.
“We have many experienced generals in our country who are out of job. Why aren’t they appointed to the military posts? The 50-50 distribution of power is totally wrong. This way of governance leads soldiers to death,”he said.
Dostum urged the president and CEO not to compromise the security system for reasons of political expediency. They should get the National Security Council to pass a resolution against politicisation of the security apparatus, he suggested.
“I have told the minister of interior that most of his employers are appointed on the basis of bribes and fraud. Dollarsare paid for such appointments. This should be prohibited.” He added the corrupt system at the ministry was the reason for the resignation of former minister Uloomi.
Dostum asserted the president could not sack him because he had been elected by the people. “Some people are worried about the current situation in Faryab. But they shouldn’t. I can eliminate every threat in a jiffy.”
Regarding the operation in Kunduz, he said; “I asked the president the reason for not letting me join the offensive. He replied my participation could raise sensitivities. This sensitivityis regarding ISI, Pakistan and the president himself, because Ghani is afraid of my popularity.”
He also saidthe president had told him that the people of Kunduz hated Gen. Dostum. If the presidential statement was true, people would have risen against him, the VP argued.
Concerned at the current situation in Kunduz,the VP said he would never forget the incidents at the university and its hostel. He vowed to protect his people from being captured or killed by Pakistan.
The former Uzbek war assailed government officials for negligence that recently led to the fall of Ghormach district. Whenever ground forces wanted a particular area to be pounded, they did not receive cooperation from higher-ups, he continued. They are often told the army chief has gone home.
The VP accused the provincial police chief, army commander and the army chief of committing negligence in Ghormach. Dostum did not know where these officials received orders from.
He alleged some individuals in the capital were awaiting news of his death. The VP also claimed knowing the people working against him inside the government machinery.
The president and the CEO, who had equally divided government posts between themselves had been unable to address the core issues facing the nation today, he reiterated. The people appointed by them could not be held accountable, he said.
Dostum assailed the president for appointing as defence minister an individualwho could not stand on his own feet. He also took issue with the appointment of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) head, calling the spymaster a known Talib. (Pajhwok)