The Afghan parliament lower house (Wolasi Jirga) yesterday (on Monday) approved the candidates for six ministries and the chief of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), and voted against the confirmation of the nominees for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Ministry of Information and Culture.
In Monday’s session, 244 out of 248 lawmakers were present and the nominees needed 123 votes to be approved.
Ahmad Zia Saraj was approved as head of the National Directorate of Security with 220 votes in favor, Haroon Chakhansuri as minister of Mines and Petroleum with 154 votes, Anwar ul-Haq Ahadi as minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock with 189 votes, Noor Rahman Akhlaqi as minister of Refugees and Repatriation with 165 votes, Qudratullah Zaki as minister of Transport and Civil Aviation with 165 votes, Mahmud Karzai as minister of Urban Development and Housing with 154 votes and Najibullah Yamin as minister of Public Works with 149 votes.
Tahir Zuhair, the nominee for the Ministry of Information and Culture, was denied confirmation having received only 78 votes in favor, and Hasina Safi, nominee for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, came up short with 119 votes and thus was not approved by the Afghan parliament.
The parliament speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani has asked President Ghani to introduce two new nominees for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and of Information and Culture, respectively.
Before that, Wolasi Jirga in 21 November approved the candidates for 10 ministries, including two security agencies, amidst an increase in violence and concerns by people about lack of security in the country.
Mohammad Haneef Atmar was approved by the lawmakers as minister of foreign affairs by getting 197 votes in favor.
Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal was approved as minister of finance by winning 205 votes in favor, 32 votes against and 9 unmarked votes.
Assadullah Khalid was approved by the lawmakers as minister of defense by getting 206 votes in favor, 17 votes against, 15 invalid votes and 8 unmarked votes.
Massoud Andarabi meanwhile was approved as minister of interior affairs with 214 votes in favor, 25 votes against and 7 unmarked votes.
Fazl Ahmad Manawi was approved as minister of justice by getting 220 votes in favor, 9 votes against, 10 invalid votes and 7 unmarked votes.
The only woman nominee Masooma Khawari was approved as minister of telecommunication and information technology with 154 votes in favor, 67 votes against and 25 unmarked votes.
Abbas Basir was approved as minister of higher education by getting 197 votes in favor, 22 votes against, 13 invalid votes and 14 unmarked votes.
Bashir Ahmad Tahyanj was approved as minister of labor and social affairs by getting 190 votes in favor, 40 votes against, and 16 unmarked votes.
Mohammad Qasim Halimi was approved as minister of hajj and religious affairs with 148 votes in favor, 41 votes against, 23 invalid votes and 34 unmarked votes.
Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani was approved as minister of industry and commerce by winning 213 votes in favor, 23 votes against and 10 unmarked votes.
