Saturday, July 19, 2014
Kabul (BNA) Interior Minister Mohammad Umer Daudzai on Wednesday told Lower House (LH) of the Parliament that oil theft and corruption were main cause behind militants’ attack on oil tankers in Paghman.
The minister was summoned by the LH over attack on tankers parked at the Arghandi market in Paghman district outside of the capital city Kabul. At least 400 oil tankers reportedly transporting oil for the security forces caught fire in the overnight rocket attack.
Daudzai said the contract signed between the highway protection police and parking area owner Mirwais, was the major cause behind the attack as the area was insecure.
Referring to the oil theft, the minister said that a notebook showed that oil was taken from the tankers and sold in the market during at nighttime, that’s the reason that the tankers were parked for 45 days in the area.
“We arrested five bodyguards to investigate the attack. During investigation they confirmed oil theft and selling of the oil in market before the attack,” he added.
Responding to a question he told the Lower House, that the contract was signed with Mirwais after decision of the Council of Ministers (CoM).
He said that after the incident he offered his resignation to President Hamid Karzai, but the Afghan president directed him to continue his job.
Daudzai said that he wanted to make example while giving resign as minister for the first time in history of the country over failure to prevent the attack.
Deadly terror attack in Urgun district of Paktika province which claimed lives of 90 people and injured 40 others was also on the agenda of the House.
The LH has assigned a delegation comprising of MPs and officials of the other relevant organizations to probe the attack and provide necessary assistance to the blast victims.
Abdul Qader Kharoti, an MP from Paktika, said the injured were transferred to Pakistan for treatment due to lack of medical facilities in Afghanistan.
He urged his colleagues to help the terror attack victims in Urgun district while donating a portion of their monthly salary.
