Atta Mohammad Noor, the chief executive of Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan and Mohammad Mohaqeq, the second deputy of the CEO Abdullah Abdllah, on Sunday accused President Ashraf Ghani of autocracy over the arrest of Nizamuddin Qaisari, the police chief of Qaisar district and a close aide to the First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum.
They claimed Ghani takes decisions without the National Security Council’s (NSC) input and then tries to implement his decisions unilaterally without consulting government officials.
The two officials said that the exile of Dostum, the arrest of Qaisari, the dismissal of the minister of water and energy affairs and the judicial action against former minister of IT and communications were against the law and in contradiction of the spirit of the agreement on the formation of the National Unity Government (NUG).
They said the banishment of Dostum to Turkey was not within the president’s authority. As vice president, only the Loya Jirga has the authority to disqualify him, they stated.
“The central and core issue is that General Dostum should return to the country. Until now we have demanded his return, but after this, we want to say that we will bring him back, both the world and the government should hear this, if they do not bring him back, we will bring him (Dostum) back, later if there is a crisis, then those who are responsible (for this) created the crisis,” said Mohaqeq.
“I don’t say that Nizamuddin Qaisari had no faults, perhaps he has some faults, but your approach has been very dictatorial, aggressive, unethical and repressive, several members of his family have been killed and his house had been attacked,” said Noor.
“If the high-ranking officials are fired or appointed, the whole process is conducted by the president and the chief executive remains uninformed. He (CEO) becomes aware through the media,” added Mohaqeq.
Last week Qaisari was arrested by Special Forces in Faryab, but his arrest sparked fury among the people in a number of northern provinces.
Qaisari was also a commander of the public uprising forces in the province.
In reaction to his arrest, hundreds of protestors from Faryab province took to the streets last week and called on government to free Qaisari.
The protesters also said they want Dostum to be allowed to return to the country.
The Islamic National Movement of Afghanistan, Dostum’s party, and the National Coalition for the Salvation of Afghanistan meanwhile also called for the “immediate” release of Qaisari. In a press release issued last week, Dostum said if Qaisari is not freed “immediately”, government’s plans, including elections, will face challenges in the north.