Lawmakers in Afghanistan’s parliament on Sunday blasted the acting minister of finance--and adviser to President Ashraf Ghani-- Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, for defying the lawmakers’ call to appear before the House of Representatives to answer questions.

Qayoumi was scheduled to answer questions about reports of the embezzlement of six billion afs from 1397 (2018) Qatia accounts (financial statements). But Qayoumi has said that he couldn’t manage to attend the parliament’s session because of his “work burden.”

“The minister of finance needs to appear here. We won’t accept anyone else speaking on his behalf. And this my personal idea: plundering happens in many ways in Afghanistan,” said MP Abdul Sattar Hussaini.

“Many high level employees in the Ministry of Finance are involved in cases of major crimes,” said Mahmoud khan, lawmaker.

Azim Mohseni, the head of parliament’s finance commission said that the acting minister of finance needs to clarify that why changes occurred in the code-91 after the approval of Qatia accounts. 

“There is 1.3 billion afs in code-91, but during the year, 1.7 billion afs were transferred and then money was added to this code,” said Mohammad Azim Mohseni, a lawmaker.

“There are some people who in a way are trying to steal the assets of the people and then invest the money in foreign banks,” said Ali Akbar Qasimi, a lawmaker.

At the end of today’s session, lawmakers in the house decided to summon Qayoumi again for next Saturday.