Taliban announce 33-man caretaker cabinet

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Taliban have finally unveiled a 33-member caretaker cabinet, ending more than two weeks of political uncertainty and a power vacuum in the country.

With the announcement of the caretaker set-up on Tuesday evening, the Taliban have returned to power after two decades.

Mullah Hassan Akhund has been appointed as caretaker prime minister and Sirajuddin Haqqani named as new interior minister.

Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, issued a statement saying the new cabinet would jerk into action immediately.

“I assure all countrymen that the cabinet members will work hard to uphold Islamic rules and the Sharia law in the country,” he said.

The incoming set-up will focus on protecting the Afghanistan’s supreme interests, securing its borders and ensuring lasting peace, prosperity and development.

He added the new government would be committed to safeguarding human rights, rights of minorities and underprivileged groups within the framework of Islam.

The caretaker cabinet is comprised of:

• Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund
• Deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
• Deputy PM Maulvi Hannafi
• Minister of Defence Mullah Yaqub
• Minister of Interior Sirajuddin Haqqani
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi
• Acting Minister of Finance Mullah Hidayatullah Badri
• Minister of Education Maulvi Noorullah Munir
• Minister of Information and Culture Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah
• Minister of Economy Qari Din Hanif
• Acting Minister of Hajj Maulvi Noor Mohammad Saqib
• Minister of Justice Abdul Hakim Sharie
• Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs Mullah Noorullah Noori
• Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Mullah Mohammad Younus Akhundzada

Acting Minister of Public Work Mullah Abdul Manan Omari

• Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mullah Mohammad Esa Akhund
• Minister of Water and Energy Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor
• Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport Mullah Hamidullah Akhundzada
• Minister of Higher Education Abdul Baqi Haqqani
• Minister of Telecommunication Najibullah Haqqani
• Minister of Refugees Khalilurahman Haqqani
• Director of Intelligence Abdul Haq Wasiq
• Director of Da Afghanistan Bank Haji Mohammad Idris
• Director of the Administrative Office of the President Ahmad Jan Ahmady
• Minister of Dawat-u-Ershad: Sheikh Mohammad Khalid
• Deputy Minister of Defence Mullah Mohammad Fazil
• Army Chief Qari Fasihuddin
• Deputy Foreign Minister: Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai
• Deputy Interior Minister Maulvi Noor Jalal
• Deputy Information and Culture Minister Zabihullah Mujahid
• First deputy head of intelligence Mullah Tajmir Javad
• Administrative deputy head of intelligence Mullah Rahmatullah Najeeb
• Deputy Interior Minister for Counter Narcotics: Mullah Abdul Haq Akhund

Meanwhile, the United States expressed its concern over the track records of some of the cabinet members.

Reacting to the announcement, a State Department spokesperson noted that no women had been included. “The world is watching closely.”

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