Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Member of the Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday strongly condemned Iranian President’s remarks regarding Afghanistan’s water and construction of dams, terming it a clear sign of interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan. They called on the government to summon Iranian ambassador in Kabul for clarification.
Recently, Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani expressed his concern regarding Afghanistan’s dam projects. Addressing an international conference on combating sand and dust storms in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, Rouhani said that dam construction in Afghanistan play a role in the desiccation of rivers and that people will be forced to leave their homes.
His concerns came as the Afghan government is due to build more dams in order to regulate waters for agriculture and electricity production.
While terming the remark of Iranian president baseless, the Deputy of the Wolesi Jirga, Humaion Humaion, said that Iranian officials have to restrain from interfering into security, water, cultural and geographical affairs of Afghanistan. Moreover, he sought for fully study of water contract between Afghanistan and Iran.
He asked the International Affairs Committee of the Wolesi Jirga to assess water contracts between Kabul and Tehran. “This contract has to be shared with the members of parliament in a bid to get clear image of its draft.”
Another lawmaker, General NazifaZaki termed the recent remarks of the Iranian president as a clear sign of enmity with Afghans. “Such groundless remarks cleared that Iran is supporting Taliban insurgents.”
She added: “In the past 40 years, Iran and Pakistan have supported our enemies, thus the Iranian ambassador has to be summoned for explanation over recent remarks made by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani.”
Another legislator, Khalil Shaheed Zada said that only terrorism is not a challenge for Afghanistan, water resources, narcotics and natural minerals have been other aspects that the enemies of Afghanistan making efforts to fuel conflicts in the country.
He added that Afghan parliament has to consider the establishment of water dams seriously during approval of fiscal budget without considering of provincial significant.
Moreover, he urged all political figures, parties, governmental officials and public to keep unity and mobilize as a powerful nation to avoid interference of neighboring and other foreign countries in internal affairs of our motherland.
It is pertained to mention that Iran and Pakistan often struggle to ruin dam and some other economic projects in Afghanistan through supporting insurgency.
