MPs continue to observe silence

KABUL): Parliamentarians continued to observe a silence for a third consecutive day on Monday in protest against President Hamid Karzai’s failure to submit a list of his Cabinet nominees and heads of independent organisations, including the apex court.

On Sunday, a presidential spokesman told a press conference in Kabul that the much-awaited list of ministers-designate would reach Parliament before the house rises for its month-long summer recess.

A week back, lawmakers announced a 15-day delay in their break to help Karzai finalise the list of Cabinet choices.

“Honourable members of the house, today’s agenda is to continue observing a silence as a token of protest against the breach of laws by the government,” the deputy speaker, Ahmad Behzad, told the parliament.

Over the past 18 months, acting ministers have been heading the ministries of water and energy, women‘s affairs, urban development, transport and aviation, communications and information technology. They failed to obtain a vote of confidence from the MPs last year

Behzad urged the president to introduce his Cabinet choices to the house for a vote of confidence at the earliest to end the tussle between the legislature and the government.

Mohammad Sarwar Osmani, a lawmaker from western Farah province, said it was their legal right to approve or reject the Cabinet members. He suggested a further delay in the recess until the president sent his nominees.

ma/mud

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