BAMYAN CITY - A defense delegation of the Meshrano Jirga or upper house of Parliament on Monday said the security situation in four provinces has deteriorated after the security responsibly was transferred to Afghan forces from their foreign counterparts. The investigation team said it had assessed the security situation in Bamyan, Herat, Panjsher and Balkh provinces. They said officials responsible for the transition did not keep their promises.

"The delegation's visit to the four provinces was aimed at knowing whether the transition is successful or not in order to start the second phase," said head of the defense commission, Bibi Roh Gul Nekzad.

She said the upper house would discuss the situation after the assessment of the security was completed in all the seven provinces, the security of which had been transferred to local forces. She said a report would also be submitted to the President in this regard.

The first phase of the transition that started from central Bamyan province on July 17 had been completed in Panjsher, Kabul, excluding Sarobi district, Mehtarlam, Lashkargah, Herat city and Mazar-i-Sharif.

Deputy head of the defense commission, Ali Akbar Jamshidi, said people in the said provinces have been complaining about the worsening security situation.

He told this at a meeting with provincial police chief, police training centre head, deputy police chief and deputy governor of Bamyan province.

"Though people believe the transition process is a positive step, yet promises made about strengthening and equipping police by the government have not been honored", he said.

He said if the situation did not improve and officials concerned failed to focus on the issue, the transition process would fail and it would be difficult to start the second phase.

Bamyan police chief, Juma Guldi Yardam, also said the officials concerned did not implement their promises.

Previously, he said, police had no threat from the rebels, but recently the threat has increased. He added four policemen were killed in a rocket attack in Sighan district. He called for an increase in the number of police in the district.