Cabinet to be finalised soon: Abdullah

KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday said substantial progress had been made in finalising the new cabinet.

Addressing a group of elders from central Parwan province in Kabul, he said a breakthrough had been achieved and new cabinet members would be introduced soon.

The national unity government was committed to introducing tangible reforms in areas of security, administration, judiciary and elections with active support of the masses, he added.

Sources close to the president and CEO said an agreement had been reached on nominees for 17 ministries and they would be referred to parliament for a vote of confidence in a day or two.

The Wolesi Jirga has repeatedly asked the government not to delay the formation of the cabinet. Earlier, the lower house warned the government would lose its legitimacy if cabinet members were not announced.

After oath-taking, the president issued a decree asking all ministers, governors and departmental heads to continue their jobs in an acting capacity. However, under the law, the time of acting capacity should not exceed a month.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had said he was in no hurry and needed time to choose his new cabinet.

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