Isn’t Karzai really on the edge?

Why all the politicians are like this; when the elections are approaching or when their position is in danger or by better words, “when they are on the edge” they think of working for the people and then tend to do some little things for people to make them happy for a while but afterwards when they are in a better position, every thing is again the same as they were.
The same way it works in Afghanistan too.

Karzai these days tends to do the same as he seems to be on the edge. From one side loss of his international reputation and the rumors of candidacy of different figures; some old and some new ones are heard from certified and uncertified sources and from the other side the day by day security instability, high costs of food and famine in the country which naturally leads the people for an insurrection for a real reform in the country which is seen in different forms of protests and all together flutters Karzai’s position.



Among the political figures for next presidential elections, so far names like, Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan- American diplomat; United States Ambassador to the United Nation and a former US Ambassador in Kabul, Ramazan Bashardost, currently MP from Kabul and former minister of planning, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, former minister of finance, Ali Ahmad Jalali former minister of interior, Dr. Abdullah former minister of foreign affairs, Halim Tanwer a writer and currently an official of ministry of Information and Culture are heard.



Although there is still doubt only about candidacy of Zalmay Khalilzad, according to the Afghan Constitution whether if he can be a candidate or not, while he is a Senior American diplomat now, but some of the other figures like Ramazan Bashardost, Ali Ahmad Jalali and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai can still challenge Karzai in the next year’s presidential election, as one of the wining conditions for the presidential seat in Afghanistan would be having the confidence and support of the donor countries of international community in addition to have a managerial capability, political background and popularity among the people. Although these candidates also have dual citizenships*, but at the same time some are quite well known for the international community, as well as they have already been occupying governmental positions like ministries in Afghan government. The tiredness of people from Karzai who has not done so much for them and could not bring peace and security as promised would also be a plus for either of these candidates in this time.



Along with continuing corruption in his administration, lately published Karzai family’s blot in relation with drug business has weakened Karzai’s position before the international community and it is heard that there are thoughts and talks in international level to trust on another person who appear as an alternative for Karzai in the next presidential election while based on a report in KabulPress.Org Karzai has already begun to influence the next elections by paying gavel to warlords in provinces to have them as his allies (purchase of 50 expensive vehicles from public wealth and distributing them among the warlord commanders of the Northern Allies in Kabul and provinces) which is an apparent electoral contravention.



This electoral violation takes place by expenditure of a big amount of public wealth by the president to influence the elections of next year, while many people are dying of hanger, lack of food and not having money to buy food more expensive more than ever before nowadays in Afghanistan.

The governmental employees are not paid enough, therefore in order to have money to pay for their subsistence they are compel to take bribe and that is how corruption begins; the president spend the public wealth for his own purposes and the governmental employees have to take bribe, this way president promotes the corruption in his administration directly and indirectly.



when there is corruption in the government offices, things are not going on well, the reconstruction takes place very slowly, a lot of reconstruction funds are stolen by different people among the governmental officials and the NGOs, the security is not brought yet, there are not enough jobs for the people, free media activists and journalists are being punished or threatened to death, women self burnings are still going on, which has root on illiteracy, poverty, anti women laws, as well as corrupted judicial branches, the costs of primary food is four times higher that just a few months ago, and hunger would come thereafter and the people will suffer the bad situation.

Karzai relies on temporarily amendment of his position while there are more concrete options to do
These days, Karzai has become more active. But the reason is amendment of his position and his lost popularity after the attack on parade of 8th of Saur (27 April), the rapid raise of costs of food in the country as well as after the report was published in a Canadian website on Karzai’s family business of drug.

Although he has begun repairing his internal position among the people by showing more seriousness in his actions and in the performances of his corrupted administration, but all his efforts are symbolic and unrealistic which can not cure the pain of people, indeed people need a fundamental reform in the whole government.

Establishment of a new anti corruption department
In his new reform plans, Karzai has announced establishment of a new department of anti corruption but considering the past experiences it seems to be useless and just waste of money and time without functioning well.
Before also there were some other anti corruption departments but the responsible persons who were appointed by the president were corrupted and it is like “to ask a cat to guard meat”.
But the solution is to study deeper and to find the reasons and causes of corruption and then fight against it with a well planned program and faithful appointees.

Issuing a decree about people misusing his name and relativity
The second thing in Karzai’s temporarily reform plans was to issue a decree to all ministries and governmental departments to stop and question and introduce them to the president office, if some one would misuse the name of Karzai like his relatives or any one related to him.

This way Karzai wants to clean the blot of his family drug business that was published in media of the world.
If he really wants that no one would blame him anymore, he should rather stop his family business of drug which is handled by his brother Ahmad Wali Karzai and his other partners, Assadullah Khaled, Arif Noorzai etc.

Meeting with farmers of the country
Then he had a meeting with the farmers of some provinces and urged them to cultivate wheat and other grains instead of opium but without giving them a solution how they would be able to compensate their livelihood without the help of the government.
This meeting was also a symbolic and non realistic meeting; instead he should have supported the farmers from years back with alternative plantation than opium, which is still possible.