Cabinet, top court nominees win trust vote

KABUL on Wednesday.

First Vice-President Qasim Fahim introduced five Cabinet nominees and two others for the Supreme Court Council membership for a vote of confidence to the lower house on Dec. 21.

Karzai, counting his last days in office, has named Zarar Ahmad Osmani the acting foreign minister to replace Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, who resigned to contest the presidential vote.

Mohammad Arif Noorzai was named as energy and water minister, Shakir Kargar as commerce and industry minister, Mohammad Akbar Barakzai as petroleum and mines minister and Din Mohammad Rashidi as counternarcotics minister.

Ballot boxes were placed in the house after the seven nominees briefed the legislators on their plans and priorities. Legislators asked the nominees no questions.

As many as 231 members attended the proceedings, with each nominee needing 116 votes for the confirmation of his position.

Rashidi bagged 166 votes, Osmani 183, Noorzai 177, Kargar 163 and Barakzai 164 to have their Cabinet slots confirmed. Similarly, Gran won 146 votes and Adalatkhwah 160 and became members of the apex court council.

Rashidi previously served as deputy information and culture minister. Osmani, a former governor of central Parwan province, has also served as counternarcotics minister.

Noorzai, an ex-lawmaker and presidential advisor, has been minister of borders. Kargar, a former member of the Wolesi Jirga, has served as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Azerbaijan.

Gran has been deputy education minister. Former Kabul Sharia University lecturer, Adalatkhwah has been deputy justice minister and member of the Overnight Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution.

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