Afghan parliament rejects 10 of Karzai’s cabinet nominees

Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s second attempt to seat a new Cabinet failed Saturday with the parliament rejecting a majority of his selections.

The parliament approved seven ministers out of 17 nominees. They include Karzai’s former national security adviser, Zalmai Rasoul, as foreign minister and Amina Afzali, one of three female nominees, as social affairs chief.

Nominees for ministries of Justice, Haj and Islamic Affairs, Economics, Counter-Narcotics, and Rural Rehabilitation and Development also were approved.

Among those rejected were candidates for higher education, public health and women’s affairs. Parliament members have complained that Karzai’s nominees are either corrupt or linked to warlords.