Members of parliament on Sunday said that Major General Mohmand Katawazai, the commander of 209 Shaheen Army Corps, Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, Army Chief of Staff General Qadam Shah Shaheem, Minister of Interior Taj Mohammad Jahid and the Head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masoom Stanekzai must all be held accountable for Friday’s deadly attack on Balkh army base, which left at least 135 soldiers dead.
Senator Hashim Alokozai and MP Latif Pedram, among others, accused President Ashraf Ghani of nepotism in his appointments, and particularly in appointment of Gen. Katawazai as commander of the Shaheen Corps despite him being past retirement age.
They said these officials are responsible for the loss of lives of dozens of soldiers, and suggested they tender their resignations.
Mr Katawazai was among 74 generals who were recently due to leave the service after reaching retirement age, which is 65, according to ministry of defence officials who requested anonymity.
“This general had to been sent on retirement, but he was brought back either on the basis of relations or on the basis of political affiliation or ethnicity. The results of such work lead to happening of such a deadly incident,” said senator Alokozai.
Friday’s attack comes just weeks after parliament summoned top security officials to answer questions over recent attacks in Kabul - especially the attack on Sardar Daud Hospital which left over 50 people dead.
Defense Minister Habibi, Interior Minister Jahid and intelligence chief Masoom Stanikzai were summoned to parliament but secured the MPs’ votes of confidence.
“The house of representatives in some way is responsible for this because they voted in support of these officials despite their failures,” said MP Pedram of Badakhshan, a province which received over thirty coffins from the Friday attack alone.
Presidential spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazawi says an investigation is underway to find out how the attack happened and "decision will be taken about Shaheen Corps Commander" once the findings are out.
The attack on VIP protection unit in Kabul last year and last month’s attack on Sardar Daud military hospital and Friday's attack in Balkh are the largest Taliban attacks on military installations in the past year alone.