House of the People (Afghanistan)

House of the People
ولسي جرګه
Wolasi Jirga
Type
Type
Seats 249
Elections
Last election
 Afghan parliamentary election, 2010
Meeting place
Kabul
Website
wj.parliament.af
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The House of the People or Wolesi Jirga (Pashto: ولسي جرګه‎), abbreviated WJ, is the lower house of the bicameral National Assembly of Afghanistan, alongside the House of Elders.

The House of the People is the chamber that bears the greater burden of lawmaking in the country, as with the House of Commons in the Westminster model. It consists of 249 delegates directly elected by single non-transferable vote (SNTV).[1] Members are elected by district and serve for five years. The constitution guarantees at least 64 delegates to be female. Kuchi nomads elect 10 representatives through a Single National Constituency.

The House of the People has the primary responsibility for making and ratifying laws and approving the actions of the president. The first elections in decades were held only in September 2005, four years after the fall of the Muslim fundamentalist Taliban regime, still under international (mainly UN and NATO) supervision.

The 2010 Wolesi Jirga elections were held on September 18, 2010.[2][3]

Elections

Elections were last held on September 18, 2010. Originally, they were planned to be held in May 2010, but after the disputed previous presidential election, elections were postponed.[4] There were more than 2,500 candidates.[5]

Members of Parliament (2005)

Some members of the Wolesi Jirga's 2005 election were:

Name Role Constituency Notes
Mohammad Younis Qanooni Speaker Kabul Province
Mirwais Yasini First Deputy Speaker Nangarhar Province
  • Candidate for President during the 2009 Afghan Presidential elections.[7][8]
Mohammad Arif Noorzai First deputy speaker Kandahar Province
Burhanuddin Rabbani Badakshan Province
Pacha Khan Zadran Paktia Province
Mawlawi Nadim Shahryar Qazizada Panjshir Province
  • A prominent anti-Taliban figure, who fought against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda during the resistance period in Afghanistan.
Malalai Joya Farah Province
  • women's rights campaigner, nicked "the bravest woman in Afghanistan."[12][13]
Sayed Mohmood Hasamuddeen Al-Gailani Ghazni Province
  • He is a grandson of Pir Gailani, a prominent Sufi, and leader of an Afghan political party.[14]
Ali Akbar Qasimi Ghazni Province
  • He is a General in the Afghan National Army, and was a former commander of the 14th Division, which was garrisoned in Ghazni.[14]
Mohammad Daud Sultanzoy Ghazni Province
  • Sultanzoy, prior to his election, was a pilot for United Airlines.[14]
Niyaz Mohammad Amiri Ghazni Province
  • His brother, Shah Mohammad, and his cousin Hajji Fazell, are Governors of two of Ghazni's districts.[14]
Rahila Bibi Kobra Alamshahi Ghazni Province
  • She is a teacher and journalist.[14]
Zahera Ahmadyar Mawlayee Ghazni Province
  • She was formerly the head of the Ghazni women's shura.[14] She was a University Physics and Math instructor at a
Shah Gul Rezai Ghazni Province
  • She was a teacher from the Jaghoray district, prior to her election.[14]
Abdul Qayyum Sajjadi Ghazni Province
  • He was the editor of a science journal prior to taking office.[14]
Khyal Mohammad Mohammad Khan Ghazni Province
  • He is the finalcial chief for the Hezbi Islami.[14]
  • His election was close—he won by two votes.[14]
Al-Haj Mamur Abdul Jabar Shulgari Ghazni Province
  • Prior to his election he served in the Loya Jirga that drafted Afghanistan's new Constitution.[14]
Abdul Bagi Baryal Ghazni Province
Fauzia Gailani Herat Province
  • Won more votes than any other female candidate.[15][16]
  • Won more votes than any other candidate in Herat.[15][16]
Fazlullah Mojadeddi Logar Province
  • Formerly Governor of Logar. Member of Wolesi Jirga from 2005-2010. Did not run in the 2010 Elections.
Dr. Shakila Hashimi Logar Province
  • She is the chairperson of the Health Committee
Ali Mohammad Logar Province
  • Serves on the Communications, Urban Development, Water, power, Municipal Affairs Committee
Wali Wahdatyar Ahmadzai Logar Province
  • Unknown
Haji Akbar Stanekzai Logar Province
  • Unknown
Hajji Alam Gull Kuchi Kuchi people
Shukria Barakzai Kabul Province
Malalai Shinwari Kabul Province
  • Shinwari was a journalist prior to running for office.[20][21][22]
  • She reports her supporters were subjected to intimidation from traditionalists.
  • She opposes selling daughters into marriage to pay off debts.
Fauzia Nasryar Haidari Kabul Province
Fatima Nazry Kabul Province
Erfanullah Erfan Kabul Province
Alami Balkhi Kabul Province
  • According to a report from the Naval Postgraduate School According to the report he is "associated with [Yunus] Qanuni's political faction."[23]
Anwar Khan Auriakhel Kabul Province
Baidar Zazai Kabul Province
Abbas Noyan Kabul Province
Jamil Karzai Kabul Province
  • He is a second cousin to President Hamid Karzai.[23]
  • He was head of the National Youth Solidarity Party.[23]
  • It stated he sat on the Internal Security Committee.[23]
Obaidullah Kandahar Province
  • Served on the Economics committee.[9]
Malali Ishaqzai Kandahar Province
  • She served on the Government Services Committee.[9]
Haji Ahmad Shah Khan Asakzai Kandahar Province
  • He sat on the Armed Service Committee.[9]
Haji Ameer Lali Kandahar Province
  • He sat on the Armed Services Committee.[9]
Fariba Ahmadi Kakar Kandahar Province
  • She sat on the Armed Services Committee.[9]
Habibullah Jan Kandahar Province
  • Assassinated in 2008.[9]
  • Reported to have been a "sometimes rival of [President] Karzai".[9]
  • Reported to have been assassinated by the Taliban.[9]
  • He sat on the "Kandahar Security Shura".[9]
Khalid Pashtoon Kandahar Province
  • He was the deputy chair of the Internal Security Committee.[9]
Noorulhaq Olumi Kandahar Province
  • He was the chair of the Armed Services Committee.[9]
Shakiba Kandahar Province
  • She sat on the Environment Committee.[9]
Sayyad Mohammad Kandahar Province
  • He sat on the Armed Services Committee.[9]
Amir Khan Sabri Khost Province
  • He sat on the Communications Committee.[24]
Mawlawi Hanif Shah al-Hussaini Khost Province
  • He sat on the Justice Committee.[24]
Sahira Sharif Khost Province
  • She sat on the Education Committee.[24]
Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy Khost Province
  • He sat on the Internal Security Committee.[24]
Gul Haar Jalal Kunar Province
  • She sat on the Disabled and Martyrs Committee.[25]
Shujaul Mulik Kunar Province
  • He sat on the Internal Security Committee.[25]
Mawlawi Shahzada Shahid Kunar Province
  • He sat on the Counter-narcotics committee.[25]
Al-Haj Sahib Rahman Kunar Province
  • He was assassinated by a suicide bomber on November 6, 2007.[25]
  • He sat on the Economics Committee.[25]
Sayed Durahman Laghman Province
  • Prior to being elected to the national legislature he was a madrassa teacher.[26]
Engineer Mohammad Alim Qarar Laghman Province
Zefnoon Safai Laghman Province
  • She sat on the legislature's budget committee.[26]
Esmatullah Muhabat Laghman Province
  • He was killed in 2005.[26]
Mulla Abdul Salam Rakity Zabul Province
  • A former Taliban commander.[27]
  • He sat on the Internal Security Committee.[27]
Hameedullah Khan Tokhi Zabul Province
  • He sat on the Internal Security Committee.[27]
Toorpekai Zabul Province
  • She sat on the Communications Committee.[27]
Ahmad Waheed Khan Tahiri Herat Province
Abdul Hadi Jamshidi Herat Province
Abdul Salam Qazizada Herat Province
Ahmad Behzad Herat Province
Ahmad Waheed Khan Tahiri Herat Province
Aqayee Jebraili Herat Province
Aziz Ahmad Naadim Herat Province
Gul Ahmad Herat Province
Mohammad Arif Tayab Herat Province
Mohammad Salih Saljoqi Herat Province
Najla Dehqan Nizhad Herat Province
Qazi Nazir Ahmad Herat Province
Rahimi Jami Herat Province
Saadat Fatahi Herat Province
Sayyad Mohammad Shafiq Herat Province
Shahnaz Hemati Herat Province
Zarin Herat Province

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fact Sheet: Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) System" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Afghans brave Taliban to vote in parliamentary election". BBC News Online. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  3. ↑ March 25, 2010: IEC Press Release on 2010 Wolesi Jirga Election Timeline
  4. ↑ "Afghanistan parliamentary election postponed "
  5. ↑ 2010 Wolesi Jirga Candidate List
  6. ↑ Thomas H. Johnson (February 2006). "The Prospects for Post-Conflict Afghanistan: A Call of the Sirens to the Country’s Troubled Past" V (2). Strategic Insights. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  7. ↑ "Mohammad Younis Qanooni speaker of WJ meets Saudi Arabia’s ambassador in Kabul". Government of Afghanistan. 2008-11-09. Retrieved 2009-05-25. Also in the other part of session Mirwis Yasini first deputy of WJ presented the reports of the yesterday meeting with the country’s president about negotiation with Afghan Taliban and residence areas bombards, the non Consonance of foreign forces attacks with government organs and the lack of perspicuous systems justice and criminals penalty.
  8. ↑ Nancy A. Youssef (2009-07-07). "Where's Pentagon 'terrorism suspect'? Talking to Karzai". McClatchy News Service. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Profile: Kandahar Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. January 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-31.
  10. ↑ Kevin Sack, Craig Pyes (2006-09-26). "Cloak of secrecy hides abuse in Afghanistan". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  11. ↑ "Armed Conflict Database: Afghanistan Timeline". International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  12. ↑ "'The Bravest Woman in Afghanistan': Malalai Joya Speaks Out Against the Warlord-Controlled Afghan Government & U.S. Military Presence". Democracy Now!. 2007-06-19. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  13. ↑ Afghanistan 2004 election results
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Province: Ghazni" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-29.
  15. 1 2 "Profile: Herat Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009.
  16. 1 2 Kim Barker (2005-11-06). "A conservative Afghan city elects a woman". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-06-13. Her life started out much like those of other Herat women. At age 13, while she still played with dolls, she was forced to marry a man who was 15 years older. She was his second wife. But after moving to Iran during Afghanistan's wars, Gailani fell in love with sports. She started exercising and worked at a gym for women. When her family moved back to Herat after the Taliban fell, she brought two carloads of equipment to start gyms for women in Herat.
  17. ↑ Jason Staziuso (2009-03-03). "Afghan tech boom: Mullah embraces iPhone". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-03-04. mirror
  18. ↑ Clancy Chassay (2008-11-22). "Acid attacks and rape: growing threat to women who oppose traditional order: Female MPs speak out as conditions worsen and Islamists gain respectability". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  19. ↑ "The Media Report". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006-06-22. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  20. ↑ Alisa Tang (2007-07-10). "Afghan girls traded for debts, blood feuds". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
  21. ↑ Golnaz Esfandiari (2005-08-12). "Threats, Intimidation Reported Against Female Candidates". Global Security. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
  22. ↑ Abdul Baseer Saeed (2005-10-29). "Winning Afghan candidates become warlords' targets". RAWA. Retrieved 2008-08-04. Malalai Shinwari, who came in first among Kabul's female candidates, said threats and intimidation have increased since her apparent victory. She blames the armed commanders who also appear to have won seats in the parliament with instigating the violence in their own political interests.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Profile: Kabul Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-15. mirror
  24. 1 2 3 4 "Profile: Khost Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. January 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-01-31. mirror
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile: Kunar Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-14. mirror
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Program for Culture and Conflict Studies: Laghman Province" (PDF). Naval Postgraduate School. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Profile: Zabul Profile". Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-15. mirror

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