President names Wardak as senior advisor

KABUL): President Hamid Karzai on Monday appointed former defence minister Abdul Rahim Wardak as his senior advisor — days after the parliament ousted him over security lapses.

On Aug. 4, the lower house of parliament unseated the defence and interior ministers over a string of rocket and missile attacks from Pakistan.

The appointment was announced in a presidential decree that praised Wardak as a “knowledgeable and experienced” general. He will serve as senior presidential advisor on army reform, development and armaments.

Separately, the top US general in Afghanistan greeted Wardak and ex-interior minister Bismillah Mohammadi on being awarded the Ghazi Amanullah Khan Medal, Afghanistan’s most prestigious state honour.

“This act recognizes these two sons of Afghanistan for extraordinary achievement on behalf of the Afghan people,” ISAF Commander Gen. Johan Allen said, praising Wardak’s services to the Afghan people. 

Wardak’s extraordinary drive, competence and vision propelled him to leadership positions of the greatest importance, he said. “In my mind, he will always be the father of the modern Afghan army and he was the central figure in building this nation’s defense establishment…” 

Mohammadi also provided decades of courageous military and diplomatic service to the Afghan people, Allen said. “As the interior minister, he carried forward his conviction to merit-based promotions and worked diligently to reduce the ethnic divisions within the Afghan security forces.”

pr/mud

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