Afghan cabinet nominee wanted by Interpol for tax evasion

Haidari was nominated as irrigation, agriculture and livestock minister in Afghanistan's national unity government

ISLAMABAD: An Afghan minister-designate Mohammad Yaqub Haidari is on the most wanted list of the International Police (Interpol) for tax evasion. 

Haidari was among the nominees from the team of the Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani.

The National Unity Government had named a 25-member cabinet on January 12, 2015, ending a three-month deadlock between President Ghani and his Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah.

Both the leaders nominated ministers on a 50-50 share under a power-sharing deal.

“Haidari: Wanted by the judicial authorities of Estonia for prosecution / to serve a sentence over large-scale tax evasion, fraudulent conversion,” the Interpol website said.

Haidari had been nominated as a Minister for Irrigation, Agriculture and Livestock.

There was no immediate response from the Afghan government. However, the development would come off as a huge embarrassment for Ghani, who has promised to head a clean government.

The nomination of the cabinet is subjected to the approval by National Assembly. The president or one his deputies will formally introduce the ministers to the “Wolasi Jirga” or Lower House of the parliament in a few days.

Earlier, the Afghan media reported that the ministers were scheduled to be introduced on Saturday, however, it was delayed for few more days apparently to give more time to the ministers-designate for lobbying.

Afghan political analysts were of the view that it had been an established practice that some ministers use money to seek their approval by the members of the parliament.

The incumbent Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senator or "Mesharano Jirga" have urged the lawmakers to block approval of corrupt ministers-designate.

The cabinet-designate is also under fire for what some analysts claim had been nominated on ethnic and linguistic consideration rather than professionalism and experience.

It is widely believed that some ministers-designate could face tough time from the lawmakers.