All Cabinet nominees win vote of confidence

KABUL, lower house of Parliament on Monday, after sharing their priorities with lawmakers.

Two weeks ago, Karzai named Mohammad Ismail Khan as water and energy minister, Amirzai Sangin as telecommunications minister, Dr. Suraya Dalil as public health‘s affairs minister.

Obaidullah Obaid was nominated as minister for higher education, Wais Ahmad Barmak for rural rehabilitation and development, Daud Ali Najafi for transport and aviation, Hassan Abdul Lilahi for urban development and Najibullah Awjan for public works.

Each of the nominees, who briefed parliamentarians about their future plans over the past few days, was supposed to win 121 votes. As many as 240 MPs were present in Monday’s session.

Sangin bagged 190 votes, Suraya Dalil 199 and Ghazanfar 191, Lilahi 207, Najafi 179, Obaid 199 and Aujan 207.

Barmak got 212 votes and Ismail Khan 175. Seven of the nominees had been introduced during the previous Parliament, which refused them the vote of confidence.

Previously, a Cabinet pick could not be re-introduced for the same slot under the Wolesi Jirga rules. But the procedure was recently relaxed, allowing the president to refer his Cabinet choices to MPs for a second time.

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