Paktya PRT meets with Afghan parliamentarians

PAKTYA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

12.21.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 1 - Afghanistan

By Air Force 1st Lt. Eric Ozburn
RC-East PAO

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan –Members of Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team met with two Afghan parliamentarians from the Wolesi Jirga, in Paktya Province, Dec. 11-12.

U.S. Air Force Col. James Forand, Paktya PRT commander from Auburn, Mass., met with Razia Sadat Mangal, a Wolesi Jirga member from Mirzaka Dec. 11 and Alhaj Mohammad Nawab Mangal, a Wolesi Jirga member from Lija Mangal the following afternoon. Both members represent the people of Paktya province.

The Wolesi Jirga or “House of the People” is the lower house of the bicameral National Assembly of Afghanistan, alongside the House of Elders. The House of the People bears the greater burden of law making in Afghanistan. It consists of 249 delegates directly elected by single, non-transferable votes. Members are elected by district and serve for five years.

The visit centered on connecting provincial processes to Kabul, encouraging line directors to engage their respective line ministers to finance projects.

“I see one of my most important roles as that of an intermediary to help facilitate the relationships between line directors and ministries in Kabul,” said Sadat Mangal, a Wolesi Jirga parliamentarian.

Another Wolesi Jirga parliamentarian, Nawab Mangal, also thanked the PRT for facilitating multiple government outreach missions over the years. This included transporting provincial level officials to 13 districts some located in very remote regions.

“I am very appreciative of the continued support of coalition forces over the last 10 years and the great strides being made in the government outreach arena,” Nawab Mangal said.

• Date Taken: 12.21.2011
• Date Posted: 12.23.2011 20:52
• Story ID: 81733
• Location: PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF