Why Karzai Questioned the Constitution?

Hamid Karzai questioned parts of Afghan constitution as he spoke earlier this week during a gathering to mark the seventh adoption year of Afghanistan's post-Taliban Constitution, January 4, 2011 in Kabul.

By Hanan Habibzai

He wants redical changes in the constitution

The rule of Law is crucial in Afghanistan to protect ordinary public and to provide them opportunities to assert meaning for political process and access the information. For this, the formation of Afghan constitution has been funded by international community to legitimise the war torn country, but everyone saw, how Afghan government was abusing a law that cost billions of dollars and detriments.


I also rarely see any international care to the constitution of Afghanistan. It has not been enforced since its creation. If you look at recent documents released by Wikileaks you will better judge how the constitution of Afghanistan is neglected by high profile officials from the end to the top. Earlier this week Hamid Karzai addressed a gathering on the 7th anniversary of Afghan constitution where he calls it an incomplete law.

He pointed out a possible Loya Jirgah to solve, what he called’ the imperfect parts’ of the constitution. He didn’t reveal which part of constitution he believes, has to be updated.  But this is clear that he means the constitution should be changed in his favour when he debates the constitution for its restriction on third term of presidency because it doesn't recommend office for third time, hence he wants to amend particular fragment of the law.


Reports suggest that a couple of days earlier he met number of northern alliance’s warlords to discuss the proposal but it is yet to be confirmed whether, they agreed or not? Apparently they should be supportive of him because Karzai is a perfect choice for the war criminals as they all hold key official posts in his government. If they reject his proposal, it may result in the collapse of northern alliance era, and an alliance of warlords won’t be able to continue without Karzai.

1.      Most of the major businesses and foreign contracts are owned by high profile Afghan officials including Karzai’s family, his two deputies and cabinet ministers. They don’t want to lose high amounts of financial wages.

2.      Most of northern alliances are listed as human rights abusers and violent foes having to be tried as expected of a justice procedure. President Karzai has given them protection, so they want Karzai free in hand to own key businesses, without him northern alliances are nothing, but will face immediate justice for their past their crimes.

This form of efforts may lead the country toward another period of mobocracy and the political instability, because Afghanistan is not Egypt to tolerate a Husani Mubarak. Afghanistan faces Taliban movement which has an increasing control over the belief of ordinary Afghans. There is a huge gap of confidence between Karzai and the ordinary public; decade of experience resulted detestation, a huge price which ordinary Afghans paid since the US invasion of war shattered country, the people who was disparately looking for peace and prosperity.

The promises he made during years never come true, instead increasing violence becomes widespread. The bribery and official corruption becomes an everyday business within Karzai’s administration; high ranking officials remain involved in extensive political and financial venality.

High profile officials in Kabul involved in corruption can’t even see a better future for their kids and themselves in Afghanistan, thus they need to transfer huge amount of state money to the foreign countries. Most of the cabinet ministers left their families abroad, for the reason they can’t trust the current situation. Since the reality was familiarised in the ground, even an Afghan teenager can simply feel it.

More troops and more military efforts mean more civilians going to be killed; more women and men will witness the deaths of their sweethearts so the violence will kept continue. The stalemate which cannot be broken by military means, the widespread corruption within Afghan government, and the unjust causes push more and more Afghans in the Taliban side.

Imagine a victim sees her/his sweetheart’s killer dressed in official recruitments and acting like a hero, then what’s happening? You know that, he/she has no option but to join the Taliban.

Therefore, the Taliban still effectively controls a vast swath of the country where government and international forces can only venture out of their heavily reinforced bases with air support, because the Taliban offers alternatives to the poor villagers, and also using links, increasing gorilla control within non-Pashtun areas too. The issue of civilian deaths is increased anger towards the international community over a much broader set of concerns.

So, we still have troubles to win the battle of hearts and minds. Back to constitution, If Karzai’s recent statement on constitution is nothing to do with his interest to remain in power then what else it should be? Why Karzai questioned the constitution?