JI may announce position on Noor’s resignation

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Jamiat-e-Islami, one of Afghanistan’s main political parties, is expected to announce its position on the controversial resignation of Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor soon.

A source told local media outlet on condition of anonymity that the party’s leadership council is holding talks in Kabul and will announce its position on the ousting of Noor as Balkh governor.

Salahuddin Rabbani, the chairman of Jamiat-e-Islami also wanted to step down from his post in protest over the dismissal of Noor, but members of Jamiat-e-Islami asked him to review his decision, the source said.

Previously Jamiat-e-Islami warned that the party will cut its political ties with government if Noor is fired from his post. According to reports, Rabbani also held talks with the members of Jamiat’s leadership council about the resignation of Noor.

But, the office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah, who is also a member of Jamiat, has not commented on the issue.

Noor has alleged that he had set a number of preconditions in exchange for his resignation, but the presidential palace and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) has not been willing to provide a copy of the resignation letter to the media.

“The reshuffling which has taken place in Balkh must be not politicized,” said one senator Anarkali Honaryar.

“Whether he has resigned from his job or not, it is better to accept it for the sake of unity of the people, we should not politicize the issue, it shouldn’t be politicized,” said another senator Hassan Hotak.

Noor has served as Balkh governor for almost 14 years. President Ashraf Ghani’s predecessor Hamid Karzai also made a few attempts at ousting him from the post.

Jamiat leadership council also warned that they will pull out all its members from government if Noor is fired from the post.

On Monday, Jamiat-e- Islami Party of Afghanistan (Islamic Society of Afghanistan) condemned the Presidential Palace’s decision to approve the resignation of Atta Mohammad Noor Balk as Balkh provincial governor.