KABUL (PAN): Afghan Parliament on Saturday approved the appointments of seven ministers and rejected eight others as the lawmakers voted on President Hamid Karzai's cabinet nominees. Yunus Qanuni, speaker of the Lower House, announced results of the voting late Saturday. According to the announcement the successful ministers include Abdul Rahim Wardak, defence minister, who secured 124 ayes and 100 nays, and 8 abstentions. Mohammad Hanif Atmar, interior minister with 147 ayes, 77 nays. Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, finance minister, with 141 ayes, 84 nays, and 6 abstentions. Dr Ghulam Farooq Wardak, education minister, with 155 ayes, 73 nays, and 3 abstentions. Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, information and culture minister, with 120 ayes, 93 nays, 4 invalid and 14 abstentions votes. Mohammad Asif Rahimi, agriculture, livestock and irrigation minister with 136 ayes, 89 nays, 2 invalid and 3 abstentions, with two votes went disappeared. Wahidullah Shahrani mines minister with 140 ayes, 78 nays, one invalid and 13 abstentions. Those rejected include Dr Obaidullah Obaid, nominee for the slot of higher education portfolio who received 121 nays, 94 ayes, 5 invalid and 12 abstentions. Enayatullah Baligh, Hajj and Islamic affairs, got 115 nays, 108 ayes, 2 invalid and six abstentions Mohammad Ismael, Water and Energy, got 109 nays, 111 ayes, 5 invalid and 5 abstentions. Mirza Hussain Abullahi, Minister of Public Welfare, 179 nays, 33 in favor, two invalid and 17 abstention votes were cast for him. Syed Mohammad Amin Fatimi, minister-designate for public health portfolio received 102 in favor, 120 against, three invalid and five abstentions with two votes disappeared. Anwarul Haq Ahadi got 91 in favor, 103 against, three invalid and seven abstentions with one vote still missing. Amirzai Sangin, Communications Minister, unsuccessful at 130 nays, 92 ayes, one invalid, and 8 abstentions. Eng Owais Ahmad Barmak, rural rehabilitation and development with 90 ayes, 127 nays, 4 invalid and 9 votes and 2 missing The house stayed open for two extra hours to finish voting for the ministers through a secret ballot process that began early in the morning. In Saturday's session, 232 of the 239 members were present. Every minister-designate has to gain 117 votes. Karzai's nominations for cabinet keep many key ministers unchanged but he has not nominated anyone for the post of foreign minister‏.‏ An official at the parliament said the vote counting would continue until it was completed. ss/ma