Govt rejects claims of salary, privileges to negotiators

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan government on Sunday rejected rumors that each member of the Afghan government negotiating team received $14,000 monthly salary as incorrect but said nothing if they received any privileges.

Propaganda:

Since Saturday, some social media users have been claiming that every member of the negotiating team gets monthly $14,000 and other privileges but they offer no evidence in support of their claim.

Jafar Mehdavi, secretary general of Afghanistan Mellat Party, on his twitter page wrote: “$14,000 monthly salary is offered to every negotiating team member and other privileges worth $350, but I reject kickbacks received by these members to prolong the peace talks at a time when Afghanistan is going through a catastrophic situation.”

Ahmad Khatez on his twitter account wrote: “The second round of talks on peace is beginning next week in Doha with $14,000 monthly salary of every member and other privileges from the corrupt administration.”

Presidential Palace:

The Presidential Palace media wing rejected the claims regarding salaries and other privileges to the negotiating team members.

State Ministry for Peace Affairs in its twitter page wrote: “Rumors about privileges of members of the negotiating team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on social media are completely false and far from truth.”

“At a time when our people are desperate for peace and this serious responsibility has been placed on the shoulders of the negotiating team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, negative propaganda against the delegation is in the interest of the enemies of peace and stability in the country and aims to create distance between people and representatives. It is hoped that in these critical circumstances, the honorable people of Afghanistan are expected not to fall victim to the psychological warfare of the enemies of peace.”

Pajhwok Afghan News asked Najia Anwari, spokesperson for Peace Ministry, about the monthly salary of negotiating team members but she declined to answer.

Negotiating Team Member Fawzia Kofi told Amaaj News: “We don’t have high salaries and our privileges are the same given to a common government servant.”

It is worth mentioning that the negotiating team members returned to Kabul after 80 days of talks with the Taliban and both teams have agreed on procedural rules for future talks. The next round of talks is scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Doha.

Ahmad Shah Erfanyar

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