MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Some civil society activists and residents in northern Balkh province on Saturday accused the Provincial Council’s members of not regularly attending their office. They say people’s works are often delayed due to PC members absence from office, an issue also confirmed by the PC chairman, who said it was because of workload.
Provincial councils are a major address for people in provinces to submit their complaints with because people have elected the bodies. Provincial councils are supposed to work for people’s social wellbeing, protect their rights and resolve issues they are facing. Civil societies’ association head Abdul Hamid Safwat told Pajhwok Afghan News that people had to face problems due to absent of PC members from their office.
He said a majority of the PC members were busy dealing with their personal and political issues and did not care about people’s complaints. He said: “A large number of people have registered their complaints about nonattendance of office by the PC members.” He further said some PC members contested the October Wolesi Jirga elections, creating a vacuum.
He warned if the situation remained the same, people would no longer trust the Provincial Council office. Azizullah, a resident and taxi driver in Mazar-Sharif, told Pajhwok that he visited the PC office several times for solution to an issue, but could not find a public representative to share his problem with. He said: “We have voted them to address our issues and support us, but unfortunately once our candidates win in elections then they forget the nation and work for their personal interests.”
Sultan Mohammad, another resident, who was waiting for members of the PC office, told Pajhwok that he had been visiting the office for the past one week, but his issue remained unresolved. He said: “I gave some money to a person, but now he is refusing to give me back my money, I have complained against him at the police district as well, but for the past one week, I have been coming here to find a solution to my problem.” A number of other residents expressed similar views and urged the government to address the issue.
Fatima Alizadah, a women’s rights activist, also confirmed people’s concern and accused the PC members of absenteeism. She told Pajhwok that people voted to these individuals in hope they would help address their problems. Meanwhile, Provincial Council chairman Mohammad Afzal Hadid confirmed people’s complaints, but strongly rejected the allegation that the PC had neglected people’s issies.
He said a shortage of the PC members was behind the issue. He said the Balkh provincial council had 19 members, but now only 11 had left. He said one of the PC members had landed another job and another was deprived of his rights and six more contested the recent Wolesi Jirga elections.
