http://www.bamdad.af/ en Copyright 2011 news Bamdad News - Afghanistan http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1627 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1627#When:04:24:04Z Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:24:04 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Qayoom Suroush
Following a high profile meeting in Berlin, Germany on February 9th, Afghanistan's National Front (leading by government opposition group) has unearthed a barrage of controversy and debate over its proposal to transition Afghanistan from its presidential system to a parliamentary system of government.  In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Azeta Rafat, member of the Leader Committee of the Right and Justice Political Party says that changing the political system is not their party’s priority. She believes that it is not the system which is a problem, but the management of the system which created problems. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1606 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1606#When:06:05:12Z Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:05:12 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Faizullah Zaki, spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Front (ANF), says that centralized control of power by the president and a lack of accountability among the country’s elected representatives have led Afghanistan into its current political problems. According to Zaki, a change from the current presidential system to a parliamentary system of government is the only solution to decrease the concentration of power and overcome the current political deadlock. He explains ANF’s justification for attending the controversial meeting in Berlin, and the Front’s views on the peace talks with the Afghan government’s opposition. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1568 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1568#When:06:57:15Z Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:57:15 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
In an Interview with www.bamdad.af, Mahmood Saiqal, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the head of the delegation representing government’s opposition at the Bonn 2011 Conference, talks about the importance, commitments and goals of the conference. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1579 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1579#When:04:06:17Z Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:06:17 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Hamidullah Habibi
With the beginning of the winter season, the prices of foodstuff and fuel have risen.  This has created new problems for the people and particularly for Kabul city residents. They are blaming Afghan government officials as well as the Afghan Parliament for doing nothing effective to address the problems. In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Eng. Shirwali Wardak, the deputy head of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Wolesi Jirga, explains his committee’s achievements in this regard. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1563 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1563#When:09:17:35Z Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:17:35 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Qayoom Suroush
For the first time in Afghanistan, this year’s Ashura holiday was followed by a bloody suicide attack in Kabul, Mazar-e- Sharif and Kandahar cities killing more than 80 and injured many others. The Pakistan-based militant outfit, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al Alm, has claimed responsibility for the attack of Ashura. This incident raises concerns over emerging sectarian clashes in Afghanistan. In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Faizullah Fayiaz, one of Afghanistan leading religious scholar emphasizes that such incidents cannot damage Afghanistan’s national unity. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1534 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1534#When:05:04:31Z Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:04:31 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
Within last two weeks, two political parties, National Allies and Truth and Justice, announced their formation in Kabul. Both parties include prominent political figures and oppose most current government policy. Here in an Interview with Bamdad, Abas Noyan, the Spokesperson for the Truth and Justice Political Party talks about the party's vision and objectives. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1493 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1493#When:05:40:26Z Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:40:26 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asma Neazai – Nangarhar
An interview with the Head of the Nangarhar Department of Women’s Affairs, Anisa Emrani. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1486 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1486#When:04:49:41Z Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:49:41 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
Asadullah Saadati, spokesperson for the Rule of Law Coalition, tells www.bamdad.af why his group has abandoned their boycott of the Parliament. He also suggested that the Speaker should resign. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1453 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1453#When:05:20:52Z Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:20:52 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Qayoom Suroush
More than a year after the 2010 Parliamentary elections, there is no end in sight to Afghanistan’s deepening election crisis. A series of moves by the executive branch that many saw as meddling in the legislature has prompted an extended protest by a large bloc of MPs, paralyzing the Parliament. The most recent conflict arose from an August decision by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to exclude nine MPs for electoral fraud. This voided an earlier decision by a Special Court to remove 62 Parliamentarians for allegations of electoral irregularities. But many Parliamentarians reject the IEC’s decision, saying that once the original results were announced last November, and the Parliament was inaugurated in January, no further changes to the composition of the body were legal or possible. In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Dr. Mohammad Amin Ahmadi, Secretary of the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC) and Chancellor of Ibn-e-Sina Private University, explained the legal basis of the IEC’s final decision and proposed solutions to end this political deadlock. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1411 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1411#When:05:31:17Z Sun, 04 Sep 2011 05:31:17 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Qaseem Akhgar, a political analyst and chief editor of the 8Subh newspaper, stated that the latest decision of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) regarding disqualification of nine current members of the Parliament (MPs) has seriously damaged Parliament’s independence. According to Akhgar, this decision has also destroyed people’s trust in the independence of the electoral bodies.  Akhgar said that Mr. Manawi, the head of the IEC, should have resigned rather than change the election results. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1353 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1353#When:07:37:58Z Thu, 28 Jul 2011 07:37:58 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asma Niazi
An Interview with www.bamdad.af Moein Shah Haqani, the Deputy Head of Nangarhar Provincial Council talks about the Council performance and achievements. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1332 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1332#When:07:17:25Z Tue, 19 Jul 2011 07:17:25 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
Here, in an exclusive interview with www.bandad.af, Ms. Massoda Karkhi, MP from Herat, talks about the challenges and positive results of the Parliament retaliation to Special Court final decision. As well as, she talks about sustainability of the “Coalition for Support of Rule of Law”.  ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1298 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1298#When:06:13:11Z Tue, 05 Jul 2011 06:13:11 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Mr. Mohammad Arif Rahmani, Member of Afghanistan’s Lower House of Parliament from Ghazni Province, discusses the challenges and reasons of parliament weak performance. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1265 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1265#When:06:34:55Z Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:34:55 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, By Zahir Ezterabi
A number of organized attacks on Afghan government’s high-ranking officials have heightened concerns about the security environment.  These include attacks against  Eng. Mohammad Omar, Governor of Kunduz and Abdul-u-rahman Saeedkhile Police Chief of Kunduz; General Mohammad Daud, Commander of the Northern Police Zone; Khan Mohammad Mujahid, Kandahar Chief of Police; Mullah Shah John, Police Chief in Takhar Province; Jawad Zahak, Head of Bamian Provincial Council; as well as attacks on the UNAMA office in Mazar-e-Sharif, PRT Compound in Herat and other similar attacks. Mr. Khalid Pashton, the First Deputy for the Lower House of Parliament and Mr. Mohammad Rafiq Shaheer, an Member of Parliament from Herat province, shared their points of view about the current security situation and other relevant issues during a round table discussion with www.bamdad.af ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1231 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1231#When:05:44:05Z Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:44:05 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Ahmad Farzan
In an interview with www.bamdad.af  Mr. Turyaly Wesa, the Governor of Kandahar province talks about the security situation and peace process in the province. Wesa says that the national security forces are able to take over the responsibilities. He predicts more opponents to join peace process but warn no one can use this process as business. [By using a well-known scheme where a Taliban leader is paid to join the government with his men for only to leave again when he has received his reward.]  ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1211 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1211#When:10:09:06Z Fri, 27 May 2011 10:09:06 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Asar Hakimi
An Interview with Farhad Azimi, Second Secretary for the Lower House of the Parliament, who speaks of the dangerous political games now being played between the government and the legislature. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1173 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1173#When:05:43:40Z Sat, 14 May 2011 05:43:40 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Abdul Qayoom Suroush
In an interview Mr. Ahmad Zia Rafat, spokesperson for the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) during the recent Parliamentary Election and lecturer at the Journalism Faculty of Kabul University, speaks to www.bamdad.af about the many pressures placed on the ECC during the 2010 Parliamentary election to annul the final results as well as his recent suspension from the University.  Rafat explains to bamdad.af the lingering electoral disputes and the suspension of his lecturer duties are very much related. Afghanistan has experienced lingering electoral disputes since the Parliamentary Election carried out in September, 2010. This includes the formation of a Special Court, mandated to investigate allegations of electoral fraud.  In the interview with bamdad.af, Rafat asserts that the Special Court is illegal as the ECC is Afghanistan’s only governing body with the legal mandate to investigate electoral complaints. Rafat believes that MPs have an opportunity to end this electoral crisis, but they have very little time to do so.   ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1125 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1125#When:09:35:57Z Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:35:57 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Khairullah Hamedi
Based on the security transition schedule, Bamian will the first province in which Afghan Security Forces would take-over security responsibilities from international forces beginning in July of this year. In an interview with Bamdad Habiba Sarabi, Governor of Bamian Province talks about the security transition progress. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1103 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/1103#When:12:21:20Z Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:21:20 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Hamidullah Habibi
When Pastor Terry Jones burned Holy Quran on March 20, most of world’s top leaders condemned the action. Some people protested in few Islamic countries peacefully. But on April 1, angry Afghan protesters attacked on UNAMA office in Mazar-e-Sharif and killed at least seven staff of the office and burned cars and looted the compound. Here, Mohammad Ariaf Rahmani, Member of the Parliament, talks about Burning of Quran (Muslim’s Holy Book) by American Pastor “Terry Jones” and Deadly Protests in Afghanistan. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/992 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/992#When:05:21:05Z Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:21:05 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Zahir Ezterabi
Q: The local and international Media are reporting about the establishment of U.S. permanent Military Bases in Afghanistan.  Why is this issue currently so widely covered in the media?  ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/957 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/957#When:03:35:15Z Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:35:15 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interview by: Abdul Zaher Eztarabi
What have been the main achievements of women in Afghanistan over the past ten years? ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/915 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/915#When:05:23:57Z Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:23:57 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Zahir Ezterabi
An interview with Abdul Samad Azizi, a Legal Expert Why has the Parliament been unable to elect a Speaker for the past two weeks? The main reasons for the current stalemate are, on the one hand, problems with the internal regulations of the Parliament, and on the other hand, the practice of casting blank votes. Other democratic societies accept a simple majority in the second round of voting for the Speaker’s seat. In Afghanistan, some Parliamentarians claim that they cannot amend the internal regulations under the acting Speaker. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/906 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/906#When:07:05:04Z Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:05:04 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Hamidullah Habibi
Q: In your opinion, what is the reason that Parliamentarians cannot elect a speaker for the lower house? A: It is natural for there to be conflicting views on electing a speaker for the Parliament; this happens in all democratic societies.  ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/865 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/865#When:00:00:00Z Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Hamidullah Habibi
An interview with Daud Sultanzoi, an unsuccessful candidate from Ghazni, who is protesting the final results of September’s Parliamentary elections.Will you accept the Special Court’s decision if it approves the final results of the elections and certifies the new Parliament as legitimate? ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/853 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/853#When:00:00:00Z Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Zahir Eztarabi
An Interview with Ahmad Behzad, Member of Parliament and Political AnalystWhy have the disputes over the September 18 Parliamentary elections not yet been resolved? In my opinion, the major part of the conflict relates to the expectations of the Afghan government. The government, particularly President Hamid Karzai, put a lot of pressure on the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) to change the election results. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/852 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/852#When:00:00:00Z Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Hamidullah Habibi
An interview with Khanjan Alokozai, deputy head of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/835 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/835#When:00:00:00Z Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, By Hamidullah Habibi
An interview with Wahid Mojda, Kabul-based political analystQ: Afghanistan has lost two important figures -- Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/832 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/832#When:00:00:00Z Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, By Asar Hakimi
An interview with Sarwar Jawadi, a prominent political analyst in KabulThe government of Afghanistan says that it has been trying to negotiate with the Taliban, but has not yet made any significant achievements. In your opinion, what are the main barriers towards negotiations? ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/823 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/823#When:00:00:00Z Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, By Zahir Eztarabi
An interview with Dad Noorani, Reporter and Political AnalystQ: What do you think of the composition of the new Parliament?A: From an ethnic point of view, Pashtun no longer have majority representation in the new Parliament. The number of Pashtun representatives has decreased this time because there were no elections held in some Pashtun areas. ]]> http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/807 http://www.bamdad.af/english/story/807#When:00:00:00Z Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Weekly Dialogue, Interviewer: Zahir Ezterabi
An interview with Gul Rahman Qazi, Head of the Constitutional Oversight CommissionQ: What was the aim of forming the Constitutional Oversight Commission and what has the body achieved so far?A: The main objective of the Constitutional Oversight Commission is to oversee the rule of law in government offices, as well as in legislative and judiciary bodies. The commission was formed in May, 2010 by Presidential decree, based on Article 157 of the Constitution. ]]>