Two Afghan cabinet ministers are being investigated under suspicion of embezzlement, a deputy attorney general said today.
Fazel Ahmad Faqiryar declined to name the two ministers but told Reuters that other officials were also being targeted by the inquiry. "If the ministers insist and don't show up for the interrogation, we have other legal means with which to proceed," said Mr Faqiryar.
The revelation comes at a time when President Hamid Karzai faces tough Western pressure to clean up his government.
Mr Karzai, sworn in last week for a second five-year term after an election marred by fraud, has been under pressure by his Western backers to tackle widespread corruption.
He is due to name his cabinet ministers in coming weeks, and there has been widespread speculation as to whether ministers would be dropped or prosecuted for corruption.
Several media reports have emerged in the past week of ministers being accused of bribery and other corrupt practices, but Mr Faqiryar's remarks were the first official confirmation of an investigation involving cabinet members.
Mr Karzai's government announced two weeks ago it was setting up a new anti-corruption unit, although US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the measures still fell short.
In his inauguration speech Mr Karzai pledged to end a "culture of impunity" and said he would name competent and professional ministers, drawing praise from Ms Clinton and other Western officials.
President Barack Obama is expected to announce a decision soon on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, and US officials say he wants to see evidence that Karzai is a reliable, trustworthy partner.
Reuters