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More high-ranking officials face prosecution over COVID-19 funding fraud
Two provincial governors and two former governors were on Tuesday referred to the Attorney General’s Office on suspicion of embezzlement of COVID-19 funds, sources have confirmed.
The fraud suspects are Wardak Governor Abdul Yamin Muzaffaruddin, Badakhshan Governor Zakaria Sawda, former Nuristan governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum and former Herat Governor Abdul Qayum Rahimi.
This comes after former Public Health Minister, Ferozuddin Feroz, and a number of current and former health officials were referred to the AGO on suspicion of misuse of authority and embezzlement of COVID-19 funds on Monday.
The Inspector General’s Office of Afghanistan said in a statement that the body was tasked in late June to investigate the issue following a presidential decree to this effect.
“According to Inspector Office’s findings, the former Public Health Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, along with four of the ministry’s deputies, including one current deputy minister, is suspected of misuse of authority and embezzlement of resources related to the Coronavirus,” the statement said.
In July, the Inspector General’s Office accused officials of mismanagement and warned that they could be prosecuted.
The Inspector-General Ghezal Haris told media at the time that officials failed to ensure transparency in utilizing government resources.
The inspector general said the office’s initial findings indicate a lack of transparency in the COVID-19 budget expenditure, saying goods had been bought at a much higher price than the market value.
An example was that for a digital thermometer, in Badakhshan, the price had been 12,000 AFs, in Herat 24,000 AFs, and in Logar 91,000 AFs.
“Despite money having been allocated to fight the coronavirus, in some provinces, beds, mobile phones or 75-inch TVs have been purchased,” Haris said.
The Inspector General’s Office also found that although the government paid to purchase new medical equipment, the authorities, in some cases, bought used medical equipment and supplies.
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UK’s Reform party pledges visa ban affecting Afghanistan and five other states
The British political party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is set to impose a blanket visa ban on Afghanistan and five other countries — including Pakistan — as part of its proposed crackdown on illegal migration and states refusing to accept deported nationals.
In a speech set for Monday, the party’s newly appointed “shadow” home secretary, Zia Yusuf, will outline plans to halt all visas for diplomats, students, workers, VIPs and tourists from Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan. Reform says these governments fail to cooperate in accepting back deported migrants and convicted criminals.
Pakistan received more than 160,000 UK visas last year, making it one of the biggest visa recipients. However, British officials say Islamabad accepts back only a small fraction of rejected asylum seekers and has resisted pressure to take back individuals convicted in high-profile criminal cases.
The move – which mirrors US President Donald Trump’s visa ban on 75 countries – would be a key element in Reform’s strategy to deport up to 288,000 illegal migrants from the UK on five charter flights a day.
On legal migration, Yusuf will say a Reform government would terminate all welfare payments to foreign nationals, including the 1.3 million currently receiving UC, up from around 900,000 in 2022.
Yusuf is expected to say that years of weak immigration enforcement have undermined public trust and that a Reform government would secure Britain’s borders and make people feel safe.
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Ex-US envoy Khalilzad condemns Pakistan air attacks on Afghanistan
He described the situation as a tragedy for both Pakistan and its neighbors, urging the Pakistani leadership to reconsider its policies and change course.
Former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has strongly condemned Sunday’s airstrikes by Pakistan on Afghanistan. He stated that these attacks killed and wounded numerous innocent women, children, and elderly.
Khalilzad pointed to Pakistan’s long history of misgovernance, interference in minority rights, manipulation of democratic processes, and repeated military takeovers as the root causes.
He described the situation as a tragedy for both Pakistan and its neighbors, urging the Pakistani leadership to reconsider its policies and change course.
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Japan contributes $2.08 million to World Bank Trust Fund for Afghanistan
Japan has remained one of the major donors to Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development efforts.
Japan has signed a $2.08 million contribution agreement with the World Bank to support humanitarian and livelihood programs in Afghanistan, its diplomatic mission in Kabul said on Sunday.
The funding will be channeled through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank that finances essential services and development programs in the country.
In a statement, Japan said the contribution is intended to support people in need and promote livelihoods among vulnerable Afghans, including women and young people.
“Japan stands with the Afghan people,” the statement said.
Japan has remained one of the major donors to Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development efforts.
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