Parliament

KABUL (PAN): The Wolesi Jirga -- or lower house of the parliament -- on Monday tasked a commission with exposing land-grabbers within two months.
Zalmai Mujaddedi, the head of the panel that was created last year, informed lawmakers that more than half a million acres of land had been illegally seized across the country over the past three decades.

KABUL (PAN): Meshrano Jirga -- upper house of parliament-- members on Sunday failed to take a decision on the issue of tribe’s name in new computerised identity cards (CNICs).
Earlier in the week, the Wolesi Jirga decided against the tribe’s name in ID cards, but approved the inclusion of the holder’s last name and religion.

KABUL (PAN): Over the past three months, Iran has expelled nearly 1,000 illegal Afghan immigrants who entered the neighbouring country in search of jobs, the minister of refugees told the upper house on Sunday.
Jamahir Anwari explained those deported had homes in Afghanistan and they had travelled to Iran through smuggling routes.

KABUL (PAN): The lower house on Saturday approved with some amendments two drafts laws regarding salaries, expenses and privileges of the president and other senior government figures.
Wolesi Jirga Financial and Budget Commission chief, Amir Khan Yar, who put the bills before lawmakers for debate, said the government had sought 3.5 million afghanis for the president in the name of privileges.

KABUL (PAN): Some high-ranking government officials are paid $30,000 (1.65 million afghanis) to $50,000 in monthly salary by Afghan and foreign organisations, the minister of justice told parliamentarians on Wednesday.
Habibullah Ghalib said this while briefing the Wolesi Jirga on draft laws regarding the expenses and privileges of the president and other senior government figures. However, he did not go into details.

KABUL (PAN): The Wolesi Jirga -- or lower house of parliament -- on Wednesday decided against any mention of tribe in computerised national identity cards (CNICs).
A draft law regarding population census, having seven chapters and 39 articles, has been sent by the Ministry of Justice to the Wolesi Jirga for approval to prevent fraud in issuance of the cards.

KABUL (PAN): Dozens of women staged a protest in Kabul on Monday, asking the Wolesi Jirga to approve the draft law on Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) without bringing any changes to it.

KABUL (PAN): The Wolesi Jirga or lower house on Monday discussed growing insecurity in the country and its relationship with the Presidential Palace, lawmakers said.

KABUL (PAN): Urban Development Minister Hassan Abdulhai on Sunday said masters plans designed for provincial capitals and district centres could not be implemented due to growing incidents of land-grab across the country.
Abdulhai and Kabul mayor Mohammad Yunus Nawandish were summoned at the upper house to brief senators on progress being made in the execution of master plans in cities.
Some lawmakers complained that some provincial capitals had been ignored in connection with master plans.