A dozen cabinet picks introduced to Wolesi Jirga for trust vote

KABUL (Pajhwok): The government on Saturday introduced to the Wolesi Jirga a dozen nominees for cabinet portfolios for a vote of confidence to replace acting ministers.

Second Vice-President Mohammad Sarwar Danish introduced the ministers-designate to the lower house for the trust vote. The nominees include Tariq Shah Behrami, Ghani’s choice for the minister of defence.

Wais Ahmad Barmak has been proposed as minister of interior. Faizullah Zaki has been named as minister-designate for labor, social affairs and martyrs.

Nargis Nehan has been nominated as mines and petroleum minister, with Mohammad Shafique Gul Agha Sherzai being named as borders and tribal affairs minister.

Other cabinet nominees are Hamid Tehmasi, minister-designate for transport, Najibullah Khwaja Omari, higher education minister, and Shehzad Gul Aryubi, telecommunication and information technology minister.

A day earlier, Wolesi Jirga Secretary Irfanullah Irfan told Pajhwok Afghan News that documents of the ministers-designate had been received.

Currently 14 ministries are headed by acting ministers. Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and the higher education minister despite being disqualified by the parliament continue to be on job.

The minister of information and culture, Abdul Bari Jehani, has resigned. Last week, the president sacked acting education minister Asadullah Balkhi, replacing him with Ibrahim Shinwari.

Danish asked Wolesi Jirga members to hand confidence votes to the cabinet picks, whom he hailed as trustworthy, clean and prominent individuals.

The VP told the lower house that the government remained committed to holding parliamentary and district council elections on schedule. The elections will be conducted next year.

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