Govt’s credibility at stake, warns Ibrahimi

KABUL speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi on Wednesday said the government would lose its credibility if failed to introduce Cabinet nominees to the lower house for a vote of confidence until tomorrow (Thursday).

After being sworn-in on Sept. 29, President Ashraf Ghani promised to introduce his Cabinet within 45 days to parliament for a trust vote.

A day after that, the president issued a decree asking the incumbent ministers and departmental heads to perform in acting capacity until they replacement.

Under the law, acting officials could not perform beyond a period of two months.

Ibrahimi told today’s session that the new government was about to complete its first two months but it had been unable to sent Cabinet picks and heads of independent organs to the assembly.

“If the government does not send us Cabinet nominees for a vote of confidence until tomorrow then the government has no credibility,” said the speaker.

He said public representatives could not question acting officials in line with the law and that was why it was important to end the issue of acting capacity.

Lawmaker Mohammad Iqbal Sapi from central Kapisa province said President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah had differences over formation of the Cabinet and thus their inability to introduce ministers-designate.

“If they fail to do away with their differences, the country can plunge into a deep new crisis,” said Sapi.

His colleague from southeastern Paktika province, Nadir Khan Katawazai, said differences existed between the president and the CEO over the Cabinet.

He said government officials should work for people’s welfare and should shun their differences because Afghanistan was passing through a sensitive phase.

Four days ago, CEO Abdullah had said talks were underway over the formation of Cabinet and it seemed nominees for key ministries would be named ahead of the London Conference on Afghanistan slated for Dec. 4.

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