KABUL - A majority of  Wolesi Jirga or lower house members on Monday voted to once again summon Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal after he did not appear before the house to explain his allegations against six MPs.

Previously when the house summoned Zakhiwal to appear before it he sent a letter saying he had already provided evidences in support of his allegations to the Attorney General Office and refused to arrive in the parliament.

After second deputy speaker, Saleh Mohammad Saljuqi, read out Zakhilwa’s letter, a majority of the MPs present agreed to summon the finance minister.

Zakhiwal has accused MPs Hamidzai Lalai, Haji Zahir Qadir, Samiullah Samim, Mohammad Arif Rahmani, Mohammad Azim Mohseni and Mahmood Khan Sulaimankhel of smuggling and making illegal demands on the government. But the lawmakers have rejected the allegations as baseless.

Later the issue was referred to the AGO, but only Zakhilwal and Lalai appeared at the prosecution office and the five other legislators did not appear for interrogation.

After that the AGO put the five Wolesi Jirga members on the exit control list for their alleged involvement in corruption and misuse of their positions, a decision the Wolesi called as improper. (Pajhwok)