President Karzai's Efforts to Downsize the Activities of Anti-Corruption Organisations

President Karzai's intervention for the release of corrupt ones has followed some concerns

The Afghan President is trying to limit the activity of Major Crimes Task Force and wants to have full supervision on the organisation.

In the latest incidents, President Karzai strongly intervened in the investigation of a justice organisation and released a top presidential official.

President Karzai remarked that he intervened because of a bad behaviour and night raid in which the presidential official was detained, but a question raises here why the President is silent against night raids on common people.

Karzai's interference in the second presidential term

The support provided by top government officials to corrupt ones has always been among top issues. Even President Karzai himself is accused of such acts. In his second presidential term, Karzai has backed more corrupt ones in his government and the court verdict on the former mayor which was followed by President Karzai's support is one of the outspoken of such cases.

The comments which were made on the very day of the formation of the High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption organisation followed a huge wave of criticism.

The escape of Acting Minister for Hajj and Pilgrimage

On the other case, the acting Minister for Hajj and Pilgrimage was accused of corruption by anti-corruption organisations, but the acting Minister, Sidiq Chakari, mysteriously fled the country while he was not allowed to do so. Was it possible for him to fly out of the country without the support of top government officials?

Karzai's stern interference for the release of a Presidential Palace official

The Major Crimes Task Force which is responsible bringing top government officials under investigations and is backed by the US and Britain arrested a top official in the Presidential Palace. It has been said that he was summoned repeatedly for an investigation and there was evidence to prove him guilty; he was not presented for the inquiry.

A month ago, officials in the Major Crimes Task Force stormed the house of Chief of Administration for the Afghan National Security Council, Mohammad Zia Salehi, and detained him.

The detention of Mohammad Zia Salehi angered President Karzai and while his investigation was not completed, the President released him in a clear intervention.

Apparently, the act of the Major Crimes Task Force and their night raid angered the President, but why is he silent against the other night raids on other people?

Efforts for the limitation of Major Crimes Task Force's Activities

The detention of the top Presidential Palace official changed Karzai's behaviour towards the Major Crimes Task Force. This organisation has full authority to probe high profile officials, but it seems that President Karzai tries to limit its activities and wants to have a grim supervision on it.

The independent detention of Mr Salehi has been called the only reason that changed President Karzai's act towards the organisation.

Prospect

Huge corruption in Karzai's administration has faced a lot of criticism within and outside Afghanistan.

Although the government is talking on its plans on cracking down corruption, but we can track the motive behind the huge and deep corruption in the government's unserious decisions in the fight against corruption.

If corrupt officials are not summoned to court and the government does not stop backing the corrupt ones, not only corruption will not decrease, but it will continue dreadfully and Afghanistan will turn into a corruption symbol all over the world.