Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Karzai Plays Well

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Karzai Plays Well

For the first time when Afghan Independent Election Commission announced the result of parliamentary election which prompted some circles within and out of the country to claim that oppositions of President Karzai had largely found way into the house, the thing which was recognized as slap on his face and a preface for new round of political animosity between legislation and executive.

It should be noticed President Karzai and previous parliament did not have a convenient relation though he had a great circle of supporters within the parliament. After the presidential election, his nominees for ministries largely failed to acquire the consent of parliamentarians. I cannot forget the catchphrase of the day that money in Afghanistan were approving a propaganda-like theory that president played critical role in determination of the destiny of his own nominees in lower House.

They were claiming that Mr. President before his election in the second term had largely conversed with highly influential communal leaders and promised them to form a cabinet on the basis of communally-fair basis. In other words, he would form a cabinet in which all ethnic and religious groups were represented equally. His nominees in the first round also exactly considered the communal combination, but in Parliament nominees from minorities were largely, if not entirely, rejected and only few people that also from a major ethnic group found into the house.

Some are in notion that President took part actively in defining the destiny of his nominees and agreed with his MPs supporters in the back stage and previously determined who should and should not be acquire their approval.

Whatever was the reason behind, the thing which acquired the attention of newspapers was that the executive and legislation branches of the government that entered to indefinite fierce battle. The previous parliament in a measure pressurized president to introduce the rest of his cabinet members and fill up the entire ministry and other posts, but he started playing with time. He was completely aware the parliament cannot stay beyond its term which was somehow short.

The second parliamentary election proved a nightmare for him as his circle shrank within the house and cacophony at the very first time rose against him. Absolutely he was perplexed as his own presidential election deemed fraudulent by experts within and outside of the country. To somehow restore and maintain his authority over the lower house, he started playing ominous political chase game, in which he has become quite expert during past ten years of his presidential tenure. He has played this beyond expectation.

When Afghan Independent Election Commission announced the result, Mr. Fazl Ahmad Manavi strongly supported the result and said that the election was the only possible election in current situation of Afghanistan that could have been held. In another word, though the election had problems but this institution employed its whole potentials and it could be held better then that.

I can vivid his interview on that turbulent time as he was under huge pressure from all sides to reassess the result and check everything painstakingly. But he stood steadfastly that prompted appreciation of all in the country, and created a concept that no force can lobby an independent democratic institution as Election Commissions. Thus, Fazl Ahmad Manavi completely disappointed President Karzai for any change in the current combination of lawmakers.

Seemingly, having the experience of previous Parliament and how it could create headache for his policies and knowing the current combination of lawmakers—consisted of somehow from his opposition——he did something and impeccably disastrous for Afghanistan and good for himself—establishment of especial Tribunal Court to assess files regarding parliamentary election.

There is something to be noticed here. Parliamentarians generally call the Especial Tribunal illegal and have no legitimacy according to approved laws in the country. But there are people who support the Especial Tribunal as legal temporary institution which acquire very legitimacy from the command of head of the state——Mr. Karzai.

According these supporters, Independent Election Commission also does not have a legal basis in the constitution of Afghanistan, but it earns its legitimacy from the very command of sitting President. Thus, a temporary institution like Especial Tribunal can be equally legitimate as independent Election Commission itself.

Anyhow, in the sphere of legal controversy, ostensibly, parliamentarians are not in a loosing position, but of course they are in the case of political controversy. Mr. Karzai clearly understands that Parliament is not a body of single idea as highly influential MPs had been trying to show.

In Parliament there are 249 MPs, who can be divided easily in the case of a tricky political measure. In this sphere, he has been quite successful and could terribly push MPs into backstage. What he did was doing a political bargain with Independent Election Chief, Mr. Fazl Ahmad Manavi, and prompted him to interfere in this political impasse.

The very interference of Manavi has changed the scenario into Karzai's side. After unsetting nine MPs, Independent Election indeed has changed the battle field as well as the battlers. Now it is President Karzai who tries to lobby or bargain with MPs, but it is MPs who are in fierce battle between each other. Pro and anti Karzai are in dispute about what to do and how deal with new "appointed" MPs.

eanwhile, President is sitting quite and laughing at the childish act of MPs who are not able to bolster or store a united front against him. And presently are horribly struggling among themselves as they have forgotten to pressurize to introduce the rest of his cabinet members.

Their entire headache is now what to do—come short or continue a useless battle with him. Presently, more then half of lawmakers are boycotting parliament and do not participate in sessions. The remaining of legislatures below quorum and, therefore, no decision are made about the destiny of Afghan people, except frantic statements about turbulent political situation and the so-called dictatorial measure of President.

Jawad Rahmani is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at jawad_rahmani2001@yahoo.com

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