Two Afghan ministers suspected of embezzlement

KABUL (Reuters) – Two Afghan cabinet ministers are being investigated for suspicion of embezzlement, a deputy attorney general said on Monday, at a time when President Hamid Karzai is under pressure to clean up his government.
Fazel Ahmad Faqiryar declined to name the two ministers, but told Reuters 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 Faqiryar.
Karzai, sworn in last week for a second full-term after an election marred by fraud, has been under pressure from his Western backers to tackle corruption.
He is due to name his slate of 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 Faqiryar’s remarks were the first official confirmation of a probe involving cabinet members.
(Reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by David Fox)