Govt Bars Several Diplomats From Foreign Trips: Sources

The diplomats were expected to take new duties abroad when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs barred them from their journey, according to the sources.
The Presidential Palace confirmed the move, saying the government is currently focusing on some necessary reforms in the diplomatic and administrative areas of the institution.
Among those barred from their planned trips was Azim Warsaji, who was recently appointed counselor to Afghanistan’s permanent mission in New York.
Warsaji has also worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The acting minister of foreign affairs has taken some steps towards implementing this plan. The reforms will cover areas of diplomacy, the diplomats, administration and other areas within the entity,” said Latif Mahmoud, deputy spokesman to president Ashraf Ghani.
Because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so far has not given the details of those reforms the government is planning to implement, lawmakers have said that the government is practicing nepotism within the ministry under the pretext of reforms.
“If the reforms are based on ethnic cleansing, discrimination, racism and bias, of course such a move will push Afghanistan several years back,” said MP Abdul Zahir Tamim.