Fahim introduces Cabinet picks to Wolesi Jirga

KABUL, the lower house of parliament.

On Sept. 2, Karzai nominated Bismillah Mohammadi, the former interior minister, as defence minister to replace Abdul Rahim Wardak. Both Mohammadi and Wardak were ousted by parliament for failing to prevent cross-border attacks from Pakistan.

Ghulam Mujtaba Patang, deputy interior minister, was chosen to head the ministry and ex-Kandahar governor Asadullah Khalid as National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief. He replaces Rahmatullah Nabil, who is expected to be given an ambassadorial slot.

Similarly, Haji Azizullah Din Mohammad was picked as border and tribal affairs minister. Mohammad was a campaigner for Karzai during the last presidential election in eastern Nangarhar province. He has also served as the governor of Kabul and Nangarhar.

Fahim acknowledged lawmakers’ right to cast votes for or against the nominees. However, he believed the legislators would be better-advised in giving a trust vote to the ministers-designate in the supreme national interest.

Since the assembly’s role was important in endorsing key appointments and monitoring activities of the government, the government respected its decision, he added.

Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said the MPs would cast votes for the nominees after hearing their plans and priorities next Saturday.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Humayun Aziz on Tuesday introduced the picks to the house for a trust vote, but legislators refused to vote for them. The speaker said they had to be introduced by the president or one of his deputies.

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