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QALA-I-NAW (Pajwhok): Some local deputies in the western province of Badghis are illegally demanding money to confirm identity cards, bank accounts, marriage certificates and other documents, some residents have alleged.
Residents said they had to pay 50 Afghanis to process and stamp identity cards, marriage certificates, open bank accounts and other documents. “This is illegal.”
Residents ask officials to prevent illegal acts
“I went to the local representative with my marriage certificate. The local representative stamped and signed the document and charged 50 Afghanis,” Abdul Sabor, a resident of Qadis district, told Pajhwok Afghanistan News.
He said charging fees for document validation was illegal and asked officials to discourage the practice.
In addition, Mohammad Juma, a resident of Kara-Inau, said: “I wanted to open a new bank account in Kabul. The bank gave me a form that needed to be signed by the local representative and the municipality. When I asked the local representative to stamp and sign, he asked me to pay 50 Afghanis, which I had to pay.”
“I ask the government to stop this illegal practice, no one should pay because people are poor and cannot afford it,” he explained.
Sher Aqa, a resident of Abu Kamari district, said he wanted to apply for ID cards for his mother, wife and children, but the ID card issuance center gave him three separate letters asking him to get approval from the local representative office, but they asked him to pay 50 Afghanis in exchange for signing and stamping each letter.
“The authorities should stop this as most people cannot afford to pay the fee to get their documents verified,” Schell added.
People pay us themselves: Local Representative
Abdul Wase Noorzad, representative of Karainao’s fourth district, said: “I reject this complaint. We don’t take money from anyone. We are volunteers. People pay 20, 30 or 50 afghanis, and we take it, but it is not mandatory.”
He stressed that some local representatives may ask for money because they have other jobs and some citizens pay them a certain amount of money to confirm their documents.
Legal experts: This is extortion
“This is against the law, representatives should work voluntarily, they have no right to accept money from clients, they have a duty to work voluntarily, why such a problem exists is really worrying”: Nesar Ahmad Akbari, a teacher at Badghis University, told Pajhwok.
He said officials should put a stop to such illegal actions by local representatives.
Officials: Such people will be dealt with according to law
Matiullah Muttaqi, director of the Ministry of Information and Culture, also said: “So far, we have not received any complaints in this regard. All government departments are taking proactive action. People should register their complaints with the relevant departments and the officials will handle them.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Abdul Majid Mahmoudi also said that the city government had not received such complaints from residents.
“All local representatives are elected by residents and should work on a voluntary basis without any fees for confirmation documents”
Mahmoudi added: “The municipality is trying to identify the local representatives who are charging the fees.”
Hz/mA
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