KABUL - A number of Meshrano Jirga, upper house, members on Sunday asked the Karzai-led administration to intensify efforts at stemming widespread government corruption and escalating insurgency-related violence.
Lawmaker from southeastern Paktia province, Abdul Hanan Haqwayun, said that security problems had recently increased across the country. Insecurity in Paktia has reached its peak, compelling residents to cooperate with insurgents, he said.

"If the insecurity continues to worsen, people of the country would start joining the rebels as a result of the widening gap with the government," he remarked.

Another MP from Nuristan, Hafiz Abdul Qayum, also came up with similar complaints, insisting crackdown on graft-tainted government officials.

The legislator asked government departments to cooperate with the anti-graft body in implementation of President Hamid Karzai July's decree that called for sweeping reforms.

Issuing the executive order, Karzai admitted his government was corrupt, saying despite major achievements, Afghans had confronted problems in governance, the fight against corruption, strengthening the rule of law and economic self-sufficiency.

The president called on the Supreme Court to "work on and finalise all the cases regarding administrative corruption, land-grabbing within six months.

Qayum accused the Attorney General's Office of being part of corruption rather than solution to it, calling for the AG's arrest instead of replacing him.

The lawmaker said the government had to take tough decisions to deal with the growing insecurity. However, he did not elaborate.

Sher Mohammad Akhunzada, a lawmaker from southern Helmand province, blamed escalating insecurity in his province on what he said "incompetent" local officials. (Pajhwok)