11 Cabinet picks to seek trust vote from Wolesi Jirga

KABUL (Pajhwok): The government is all set to introduce President Ashraf Ghani’s nearly a dozen nominees for Cabinet portfolios to the Wolesi Jirga for a vote of confidence to replace as many acting ministers

The ministers-designate include Tariq Shah Behrami, Ghani’s choice for the minister of defense and Wais Ahmad Barmak, the minister of interior.

Faizullah Zaki has been named as the minister-designate for labor, social affairs and martyrs, Nargis Nehan as mines and petroleum and Mohammad Shafique Gul Agha Sherzai as borders and tribal affairs minister.

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

Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament secretary Erfanullah Erfan on Friday told Pajhwok that documents of the ministers-designate had been received.

“According to the decision of the house panel heads, a top government official will introduce the 11 Cabinet nominees to the lower house on Saturday.”

Currently 14 ministries are being headed by acting ministers. Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and the higher education minister have been disqualified by the parliament, but they continue to perform their job as acting ministers.

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

Under the relevant law, an acting head of department cannot continue in office beyond two months.

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