Afghanistan seeks arrest of ex-minister over graft

Western nations with troops in Afghanistan have stepped up pressure on President Hamid Karzai to take stern steps to crack down on corruption, which they say is endemic and feeds the Taleban-led insurgency as well as the illegal drugs trade.

Afghanistan says up to 17 former and current cabinet ministers have had cases investigated by the attorney general, but has so far announced few actual prosecutions.

Afghan authorities believe Mohammad Sediq Chakari, who served briefly last year as the acting minister responsible for religious trusts and the pilgrimage to Makkah, is currently in Britain, said deputy prosecutor Fazl Ahmad Faqiryar.

The attorney general has issued an arrest warrant and through Interpol, the international police cooperation body, to detain Chakari, Faqiryar said.

Chakari, who Afghan authorities believe has obtained British citizenship, is accused of abusing power and corruption. Prosecutors say $250,000 was siphoned off of fees to Afghans attending the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last year.

Three officials of the ministry, who are also accused of being involved in the case, have been detained by the government.

Western leaders have become increasingly vocal in complaining about what they call the slow pace of Karzai's government's campaign against corruption. The White House says it was a major theme of President Barack Obama's visit last week, Kazinform cites Arab News. See www.arabnews.com for full version.