Daily Times

KABUL: Political horsetrading over appointments to Afghan police and army commands has created chaos for security forces fighting the Taliban in strategic areas such as Helmand province, a leading opposition politician said.

Umer Daudzai, a former interior minister, now part of a new opposition group, said the power-sharing arrangement at the heart of President Ashraf Ghani’s National Unity Government was crippling the fight against the Taliban insurgency.

“It was a great mistake to include security forces in the 50/50 formula,” he said, referring to the power-sharing arrangement under which Ghani has divided key appointments with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

Under the arrangement, worked out following last year’s inconclusive election, appointments are shared out between each side, with key commands often awarded for political loyalty rather than competence.

It is a complaint echoed by many local politicians, who say the patronage system has undermined the fight against the Taliban as it has overrun much of Helmand.

Even when strong commanders are appointed, the system leaves commanders often answering to different political masters, with conflicting priorities, Daudzai said.

“It creates chaos in the chain of command. Nobody knows who’s in charge of what or who’s responsible, the system should be depoliticised immediately,” he said.