5 acting ministers, 2 governors named

KABUL): President Hamid Karzai on Monday nominated five ministers-designate and two provincial governors to fill key vacant slots, the Office of Administrative Affairs (OAA) said.

Zarar Ahmad Muqbil was nominated as acting foreign minister, Mohammad Arif Noorzai as acting energy and water minister and Mohammad Akbar Barakzai as acting minister of mines.

A statement from OAA said Deputy Minister of Information Din Mohammad Mubarez and former lawmaker Mohammad Shakir Kargar had been named as counternarcotics and commerce ministers respectively.

The appointments were made in line with Article 64 of the constitution. The ministers will be introduced soon to the Wolesi Jirga for a confidence vote.

Earlier in the month, Zalmai Rassoul stood down as foreign minister, Anwarul Haq Ahadi as commerce minister, Wahidullah Shahrani as mines minister, Mohammad Ismail Khan as water and energy minister and Gul Agha Sherzai as governor of Nangarhar to run for the presidency.

Meanwhile, a credible source confided to Pajhwok Afghan News that former Maidan Wardak governor Mohammad Halim Fidaee had been appointed as governor of Logar and Gulab Mangal as Nangarhar governor.

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