.Karzai ousts presidential rival
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - President Hamid Karzai ousted Afghanistan's top prosecutor on Wednesday, a day after the official announced he would run in next year's presidential election.
Karzai's office said Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabet's plan to contest the election amounted to a resignation.
"Attorney general is one of the key positions in Afghanistan's government, and it should be impartial and make decisions freely without any political interference or personal interest," a presidential statement said.
"(Sabet's) announcement to run in the next presidential election means he has resigned from his current post," it said.
However, Sabet insisted at a news conference that he had not resigned and was "forced to leave the office."
He said Karzai was "afraid" of his candidacy.
Karzai was the clear winner in the 2002 presidential election and has suggested he would like to run again, despite his failure to defuse the Taliban-led insurgency or rein in drug smuggling and corruption.
No exact date has been set for the 2008 ballot, which presents a massive security challenge for foreign and Afghan security forces.
The 62-year-old Sabet became attorney general two years ago, promising a crackdown on corruption that has largely failed to materialize.
An ethnic Pashtun from the eastern Nangarhar province, Sabet is known as combative lawyer with a taste for showmanship. He has personally led raids against brothels and restaurants that sell alcohol to foreigners in Kabul.
MyWay
Karzai's office said Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabet's plan to contest the election amounted to a resignation.
"Attorney general is one of the key positions in Afghanistan's government, and it should be impartial and make decisions freely without any political interference or personal interest," a presidential statement said.
"(Sabet's) announcement to run in the next presidential election means he has resigned from his current post," it said.
However, Sabet insisted at a news conference that he had not resigned and was "forced to leave the office."
He said Karzai was "afraid" of his candidacy.
Karzai was the clear winner in the 2002 presidential election and has suggested he would like to run again, despite his failure to defuse the Taliban-led insurgency or rein in drug smuggling and corruption.
No exact date has been set for the 2008 ballot, which presents a massive security challenge for foreign and Afghan security forces.
The 62-year-old Sabet became attorney general two years ago, promising a crackdown on corruption that has largely failed to materialize.
An ethnic Pashtun from the eastern Nangarhar province, Sabet is known as combative lawyer with a taste for showmanship. He has personally led raids against brothels and restaurants that sell alcohol to foreigners in Kabul.
MyWay
posted by madtom at 11:43 PM
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