Just a few days before the Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced its final decision to remove and replace nine MPs, a new parliamentary group, the “Reformists,” emerged in the Lower House of Parliament.
The formation of the group meant an end to the unity of members of Parliament concerning change in the composition of the assembly. The Reformists would support the IEC’s decision, and pave the way for its implementation.
The news about establishment of the Reformists parliamentary group, announced in mid-August, was followed by a series of reactions. Ahmad Bahzad, the second deputy of the Lower House and a prominent member of the Coalition for the Support of the Rule of Law wrote in his Facebook page that: “A number of MPs were invited to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs’ guest house on Monday night, August 15. During the invitation, Mr. Hamayoon Azizi, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, asked them to form a coalition to support the government’s goals inside the Parliament.”
Following this, the Reformists, consisting of around sixty MPs, announced that they were ending the year-long parliamentary election crisis by supporting the IEC decision to remove and replace nine MPs. This was a major change, since the Parliament had previously issued seven drafts, five decisions and an official statement to call any change in the Parliament’s composition “illegal”. The members of the Reformists group had agreed to these decisions at the time.
The Reformists now insist that Parliament has achieved its goal following President Karzai’s decree, which gave full authority to IEC to end the election crisis. They believe the IEC has the right to investigate any election-related complaint, so they accepted the IEC’s final decision regarding the election outcomes.
Ghulam Farooq Nazari, an MP from Herat Province and a member of the Reformists group, said: “The Reformists are a group to bring reforms and stabilize peace in Afghanistan.”
Ghulam Farooq Nazari: “We are not government
supporters working in favor of President Karzai."
The following prominent MPs have joined the “Reformists” group.
- Mawlawi Shahzada Shahid, from Kunar Province
- Sayeed Hussein Alimi Balkhi, from Kabul Province
- Jafar Mehdawi, from Kabul Province
- Daud Kalakani, from Kabul Province
- Noor Akbari, from Dai Kundi Province
- Nasima Neazi, from Helmand Province
- Kamal Naser Osoli, from Khost Province
- Mohammad Abdu, from Balkh Province
The Reformists group has not yet announced its goals and objectives, and they do not have an official address or organizational structure. They are viewed as having close relations with the Arg (Presidential Palace).
The Coalition for the Support of the Rule of Law has criticized the Reformists stating that they are “government’s anti-riot spies” and are trying to impose President Karzai’s demands on the Parliament.
But the Reformists group strongly denies such allegations. Ghulam Farooq Nazari says that group members came together on their own initiative and the government played no role in the Reformists formation. “We are not government supporters working in favor of President Karzai,” he said.
The Coalition for the Support of the Rule of Law stated that one of the reasons for the close relations between the “Reformists” and the executive branch is the presence of cabinet ministers’ relatives in this group.
They name MP Sadiq Ahmad Osmani, brother of Counter Narcotics Minister Zarar Ahmad Muqbel, and Shir Wali Wardak, brother of Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak as prominent members of the Reformists group.
“Due to the presence of some relatives of the cabinet ministers in the Reformists group, they have to support the government and defend its acts,” said Lalai Hamidzai, an MP from Kandahar and member of the Coalition for Support of the Rule of Law. But Nazari denies such allegations.
The IEC’s final decision regarding disqualification of nine MPs, which took place a few days after formation of the “Reformists” group, created some confusion among the members.
The Reformists group presented their stance on the IEC’s final decision three days after it was announced.
“The IEC’s final decision has no legal basis and it was unexpected,” said Sayeed Hussein Alimi Balkhi, of the Reformists group on 24 August. “The IEC’s decision is a political decision and has unduly hurt some MPs.”
But three days later, on August 27, Shahzada Shahid, another member of the Reformists, supported the IEC’s final decision in a general meeting in Parliament.
Sayeed Hussein Alimi Balkhi also changed his previous position in which he had called the IEC’s decision “illegal” and “political”.
“Our national interests require supporting the IEC’s decision to end the current election crisis,” he reasoned to justify his new stance.
MP Lalai: “Mr. Manawi was promised a
Supreme Court seat."
In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Lalai Hamidzai said that the IEC’s decision has been taken based on a deal, and it is unacceptable for them.
“The IEC’s decision was based on a deal between Mr. Manawi, the head of the IEC and President Karzai,” he said. “Mr. Manawi was promised a Supreme Court seat. Such political deals are unacceptable for the Coalition for Support of the Rule of Law.”
Members of the Coalition called such action a “coup” and said that the IEC’s decision was “illegal,” and the disqualified MPs are the real representatives of the Afghan people.On August 21, the government seized the Parliament building and police escorted the nine new MPs to the Parliament. While the members of the Coalition for Support of the Rule of Law did not attend, Reformists joined the oath-taking ceremony of the nine new MPs.
Since that event, the Parliament has split into two parts: the Reformists and the opposition [Coalition for Support of the Rule of Law]. The Coalition has been against the government’s activities from the beginning and such disagreement increased when the Reformists group emerged.
The Reformists are more flexible toward government and some prominent members of the group have confirmed their affiliation with the government.
In a TV debate broadcast by TOLO TV on September 15, Sayeed Hussein Alimi Balkhi supported the IEC’s final decision and confirmed their affiliation with the government.
