KABUL - President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has appointed new chiefs for the Ministry of Defense and National Directorate of Security (NDS), a statement released by Presidential Palace here on Friday said.
According to the statement the acting Minister for Defense Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai was appointed acting NDS chief to replace Masoud Andarabi who has served as national intelligence agency's chief over the past few months and General Abdullah Khan has been assigned for the post of acting minister for defense.
Stanikzai, who was rejected by the Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of Afghan parliament last year to serve as defense minister, had served as acting defense minister until his appointment to replace national intelligence chief and General Abdullah Khan had served as Chief of Staff in the Afghan National Army Chief of Staff office before he was appointed as acting defense minister.
Both defense ministry and the national spy agency have been run by acting chiefs since long amid criticism by Afghans as the lawmakers repeatedly asking the president to introduce the minister for defense and chief of NDS to the parliament for approval.
President Ghani in his address to the joint session of parliament on April 25 promised to introduce the minister for defense and chief of NDS to the Lower House of parliament.  (Xinhua)