Karzai’s Cabinet picks introduced to MPs

KABUL): First Vice-President Qasim Fahim on Saturday introduced President Hamid Karzai’s five Cabinet nominees for a vote of confidence to the lower house of the parliament.

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.

Fahim said the president had named Mohammad Arif Noorzai as his 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.

Urging the Wolesi Jirga to help strengthen national unity, Fahim introduced Karzai’s nominees Din Mohammad Gran and Abdul Qadir Adalatkhwah as members of the Supreme Court High Council.

The vice-president said the ministers-designate had been introduced under Clause 11 of Article 64 of the Constitution to replace resigning ministers.

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

Din Mohammad Gran served as 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.

During his speech to the Wolesi Jirga, Fahim stressed the need for strengthening national unity, praising the lower house for giving more importance to the imperative.

He said the enemies of Afghanistan should not be allowed to interfere in the country’s affairs and damage national unity. He believed enhanced cooperation among the three pillars of state would help streamline all national affairs.

Fahim said Afghanistan was currently passing through a sensitive political phase and even a minor misjudgment could plunge the nation into deep turmoil.

About the upcoming elections, he said the April vote was crucial to determining Afghanistan’s future.

mds/ma

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