News - Afghanistan

Afghan lawmakers criticised the dismissal of the country's intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil by President Karzai on Wednesday, linking it with the influence of neighboring spy agencies within the Afghan government.

MPs praised the National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief Nabil in Wednesday's sitting session, calling him an intelligent and qualified person for this position and urged Karzai to revise his decision.

"Rahmatullah Nabil, the NDS Chief, was able to make remarkable achievements in a short period of time and stand against the foreign spy agencies' conspiracies. His activities need to be praised. On behalf of all of you, I want to ask President Karzai to allow Mr. Nabil continue his job," deputy speaker of the parliament Abdul Zaher Qadir said.

"The NDS was headed towards professionalism and nationalism after Mr Nabel took the seat," Daikundi MP Asadullah Sahadati said.

However, the dismissal, explained by Karzai's office as a simple matter of Nabil having completed the decreed two-year tenure, was marred by rumours that Nabil was dismissed after he went to Tajikistan for a break without the permission of Karzai.

"The dismissal of effective officials at the Afghan spy agency may cost the government too much," Herat MP Nahid Farid said.

Karzai's office released a statement Wednesday afternoon confirming Nabil's departure, saying that he would soon start in a new role as an ambassador.

"President Karzai commended the dedication Mr. Nabil demonstrated in job over the past two years and wished him success in the new job he would soon take over as an ambassador to a foreign country," the statement said.