KABUL - The Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday approved the five new Ministers nominated to President Hamid Karzai's cabinet. Two new members of the Supreme Court were also confirmed.
Din Mohammad Mobarez Rashidi (166 votes) will be the new Minister of Counter Narcotics; Zarar Ahmad Osmani (183 votes) will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Akbar Barekzai (164 votes) becomes the new Minister of Mines; Mohammad Aref Noorzai (177 votes) becomes Minister of Energy and Water; and Mohammad Shakir Kargar (163 votes) is set to be the new Minister of Commerce and Industry. Finally, Din Mohammad Giran (146 votes) and Abdul Qader Adalatkha (160 votes) secured seats on the Supreme Court.
The new Ministers spokes to the MPs about their programs for the upcoming months before the end of Karzai's term in April and the holding of the Presidential and Provincial Council elections. New Ministers are expected to be nominated by whoever succeeds Karzai next year.
"Implementation of agreements, accords and other long term strategic cooperation agreements that Afghanistan has signed with its international allies over the previous years would be the top working priority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said newly confirmed Minister Zarar Ahmad Osmani.
"Making Afghanistan a regional transit hub and completion of northern, southern and western corridors on the basis of the agreements that have been made before" would be the priorities of Mohammad Shakir Kargar.
"Up to 1,000 children are suffering from addiction these days," new Supreme Court justice Rashidi said. "The government of Afghanistan and the Parliament by formulating a comprehensive roadmap should seek to address the issue...I think drugs never existed in the country on this scale and today it even threatens the world."
More than 200 MPs questioned the nominees, a process that took several days. MPs then voted in a secret ballot. Every candidate needed 116 "yes" votes to secure his position.
"The honorable MPs awarded votes of confidence to the nominated ministers," Speaker of the Lower House Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi announced to bring the proceedings to a close. (Tolo News)