House of the People (Afghanistan)

House of the People ولسي جرګه Wolasi Jirga
Type
Type	Lower house of the National Assembly
Seats	249
Elections
Last election	Afghan parliamentary election, 2010
Meeting place
Kabul
Website
wj.parliament.af

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	Member of Afghan cabinet during the Afghan Interim Administration and Afghan Transitional Administration.[6]
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	He was a deputy speaker.[9] He is related to President Hamid Karzai through marriage.[9]
Burhanuddin Rabbani		Badakshan Province	Former President of Afghanistan. Leader of Islamic Society of Afghanistan
Pacha Khan Zadran		Paktia Province	Signatory to Bonn Conference.[10] Fell under suspicion of warlordism.[11]
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	He founded an organization for the disabled after he was blinded and lost a leg from a rocket during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.[14]
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	women's rights campaigner, journalist.[17][18][19]
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	[23]
Fatima Nazry		Kabul Province	[23]
Erfanullah Erfan		Kabul Province	[23]
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	[23]
Baidar Zazai		Kabul Province	[23]
Abbas Noyan		Kabul Province	[23]
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	He was a former commander with the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin militia.[26]
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

• National Assembly of Afghanistan
• House of Elders
• Politics of Afghanistan
• List of legislatures by country

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. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. 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. "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. "Province: Ghazni" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-29.
15. "Profile: Herat Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009.
16. 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. "Profile: Kabul Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-15. mirror
24. "Profile: Khost Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. January 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-01-31. mirror
25. "Profile: Kunar Profile" (PDF). Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-14. mirror
26. "Program for Culture and Conflict Studies: Laghman Province" (PDF). Naval Postgraduate School. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
27. "Profile: Zabul Profile". Navy Postgraduate School. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-15. mirror

External links

• Website of the Wolesi Jirga (English)