Afghan opposition factions join hands against Ghani

power monopoly and nepotism. Ghani, who is under US and Western donors’ pressure for bringing reforms in his government, denies the allegations.

Mansoor said Jamiat had informed Ghani through a senior party’s leader who serves as CE in his administration, Dr. Abdullah, about the outcome of a unilateral move on the president’s part for planning to fire Atta.

Shah Hussein Murtazawi, a spokesman for Ghani, neither confirmed nor denied the president’s plan for dismissing Atta.

“Replacement and change of governors is an ordinary matter and we expect they will not turn this into a political or dignity issue. Maybe he will or will not be fired or decide to resign,” Murtazawi told Arab News.

Najib Mahmoud, a professor of political science at Kabul University, said the latest tension was “serious” for the Afghan government and “shrewd” action was needed to control the situation.

“The government has been under pressure from politicians and leaders who are members of the very administration in recent years and no doubt local and foreign opponents have benefited from this (in the past) and will do so this time too if both sides (Atta and Ghani) reach the end of the line,” he told Arab News.

“In normal countries if coalition governments fall apart, they call snap elections, but in Afghanistan if this happens the situation can be very different. There will be tension and problems.”