Defence minister accused being too close to Pakistan

A number of former Afghan defence ministry officers have accused minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and some other officials of being over-dependent on Pakistan. The officers, some of whom had been dismissed and others demobilised under the disarmament programme, staged a peaceful demonstration in front of parliament. In talks with Nur ul-Haq Ulumi, who chairs parliament’s defence commission, the men said they have documents and evidence to back up their allegations. They asked Ulumi for a chance to address parliament. In response, he promised to convey the protestors’ message to parliament, and assured them that one of his commission’s main priorities is to sort out the future of the 150,000 dismissed officers.