KABUL: There is in existence in Afghanistan a farce of a Parliament known as “Shura-i-Millie” or Afghan National Assembly. The year of grace 1951 will go down in the history of this farcical show as the starting period of parliamentary opposition. Unfortunately to the Afghan Government, it made a departure from the usual habit of doing everything in camera and allowed three days in a week for open sessions of the Assembly. This period synchronised with the appearance of four independent newspapers that came into being for the first time in the history of journalism in this country.

These papers, two out of them have already been suppressed, started publishing details of the discussions held inside the House, which showed that the … Government was facing bitter opposition from the progressive group in the assembly.

These also disclosed the strong opposition against … questions of the forced procurement of foodgrains by the Government. Employment of forces labour ... etc. resulted in a serious tussle between the Cabinet and the National Assembly. The speeches … by a vast majority of members reveal that no decision of the National Assembly has ever been carried out by the Cabinet. — Dawn Kabul correspondent

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026