Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah once again called for a transparent investigation into sexual abuse allegations at the Presidential Palace and said the probe needs a wider engagement by multiple parties.
Last week, a former Afghan government official alleged that some members of President Ashraf Ghani’s administration were trading government positions for sexual favors.
General Habibullah Ahmadzai, a former security adviser to President Ghani, leveled these allegations. The allegations were widely shared on social media, triggering an outcry in the country.
“When two persons or one make a claim that there are some problems, it is not the solution to hand its (probe) to corrupt individuals, who will misuse it for their own interests,” Abdullah said, as he insisted on transparency in the investigation of the allegations.
As a solution, Abdullah suggested that a wide range of parties, including the civil society, religious scholars, the people and lawmakers should be engaged in the probe into allegations against the Presidential Palace so that the results are “acceptable for all”.
He said that he “does not care” whether the allegations are true or not, but still he “does not trust” the country’s judicial organizations.
This comes as Ahmadzai, who resigned from his post to contest in parliamentary elections, claimed that some officials “were working systematically to promote adultery in the palace”.
Mariam Wardak, another former government official, backed Ahmadzai claims in her interview with an Indian TV channel. Later, she changed her position, saying she only wanted to highlight the level of corruption in Afghanistan.
Ghani’s office promptly responded by ordering an investigation into Ahmadzai’s claims. (TOLOnews)
