Parliament

KABUL (PAN): Despite denials from the Presidential Palace, some lawmakers on Monday reiterated the government planned to convene a jirga on extending its tenure and amending the constitution.

KABUL (PAN): Some lower house members on Monday claimed the government, seeking to prolong its stay in power, was planning to arrange a consultative jirga planned in the guise of discussing a bilateral security agreement with the US.

KABUL (PAN): Abdul Latif Ibrahimi, a brother of Wolesi Jirga Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, has been appointed as new governor of norther Takhar province, the Council of Ministers said on Monday.
Ibrahimi was recommended for the position by the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) and approved by President Hamid Karzai, the Office of Administrative Affairs said in a statement.

KABUL (PAN): The Meshrano Jirga on Monday approved with amendments a draft law regarding salaries of high-ranking government officials.
The draft law, having 14 articles, was presented to the house by Justice Minister Habibullah Ghalib in mid-May. MPs approved 11 of its articles and sent it to the Meshrano Jirga for approval.

KABUL (PAN): The Senate -- upper house of the parliament -- on Sunday asked the president’s national security advisor to brief it on the views he shared with lower house members regarding reconciliation with the Taliban.

KABUL (PAN): The Senate on Sunday condemned the ouster of Egyptian president Mohammad Mursi as an act against international law and democratic norms, calling the move an insult to the public mandate.
The condemnation came two days after more than 30 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in violence triggered by the military coup. Wednesday’s removal of the Islamist leader followed protests from millions of people.

KABUL (PAN): The Meshrano Jirga on Sunday approved a law regarding the president’s salary, expenses and privileges and decided to adopt a similar measure concerning high-ranking government officials next week.
The law has already been approved by the lower house, Wolesi Jirga, which sent it to the upper house with some amendments.

KABUL (PAN): Government officials briefed Wolesi Jirga members behind closed doors on the Taliban’s Qatar office, but some lawmakers believed the session should have been open, not in-camera.

KABUL (PAN): Wolesi Jirga Member Allah Gul Mujahid on Thursday rejected police allegations, saying if the charges were substantiated against him, he would step down.
The Kabul crime branch chief on Tuesday accused Mujahid of seizing government land, involvement in murder, robberies and kidnappings. He asked the government and the lower house to issue arrest orders for Mujahid.

KABUL (PAN): Wolesi Jirga members, debating a draft law on higher education that has been delayed for seven years, on Wednesday once again clashed over the expressions used for university and academic ranks in Pashtu and Dari languages.