HONG KONG, Aug 23: Afghan Planning Minister Mohamed Mohaqeq has launched a bitter attack on the way international aid is being spent in his country, saying much of the process had become totally illegal.

In an interview with the BBC aired on Friday, Mohaqeq said large quantities of aid were being misused and channeled through well-connected people outside the control of the government.

He said squabbling within the government meant people who should be in charge of aid distribution were being squeezed out, and that aid was going missing before it reached its intended target.

Mohaqeq said while many Afghan government employees were earning less than 50 dollars per month, he knew of people involved in distributing reconstruction aid who were raking off 10-15,000 dollars per month.

He also pointed to massive overspending on some projects, alleging that funds were being wasted on luxury goods.

Mohaqeq said the only way to stop this waste was to ensure all aid money came through the government, and in particular through his ministry.

Donor countries have committed to 1.8 billion dollars in aid to Afghanistan for 2002.—AFP