KABUL (PAN): Four ministers-designate for the portfolios of justice, transportation, counter-narcotics and rural development on Monday appeared before the Wolesi Jirga for a vote of confidence. President Hamid Karzai has introduced his 16 picks for cabinet slots after the lawmakers disapproved 17 out of his 24 nominees in the previous voting. Those appeared before the legislators on Monday included Habibullah Ghalib for the slot of justice minister, Engineer Abdul Rahim Auraz, transportation, Zarar Ahmad Moqbel, counter-narcotics and Jarullah Mansoori, rural rehabilitation and development. Seeking a vote of confidence, Habibullah Ghalib said introducing legislative and jail reforms would be his top priorities if he was given the trust vote. He said currently, the ministry of justice faced with two major problems which included the imposition of some laws by the international community and bad conditions in prisons across the country. He claimed that most of the foreign advisors with different backgrounds drafted laws which carried lots of errors. "While incorrect translations of these laws are making the bad situation worse," the minister-designate added. Ghalib said he would resolve the problem through strengthening the Afghan law department so it could draft laws by itself. He said the people should be made familiar with the laws to enable them to act accordingly. About jail reforms, he said still some prisons both in capital and the provinces did not have proper buildings, something he would deal with if awarded the trust vote. For his part, minister-designate for transportation, Eng. Abdul Rahim Auraz told the lawmakers that he would not only build a new airport in Logar but would also modify airports in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat and Balkh to the international standards. He said 13 new airports would also be established in different parts of the country. His other plans included launching electric bus services and construction of railway tracks. He said the train service would not only create jobs for thousands of people but would also help bring down the prices of commercial goods. In response to a query from Shah Mardan Qul, an MP representing Balkh province that how would he tackle the problem of no entry to Afghan freight vehicles into neighboring countries, Auraz said he would try to solve the issue in collaboration with foreign ministry. Zarar Ahmad Moqbel said he would bring to justice all those individuals involved in drug smuggling with the help of line ministries. "Increasing regional cooperation, dealing with drug trafficking and materials being used in its processing and targeting smugglers and poppy growers, and holding national and international conferences to raise funds for effectively fighting drug smuggling would be my top priorities," he pledged. Moqbel further said he alone would not be able to complete root out the menace of drug smuggling since it was global phenomenon. Minister-designate for rural rehabilitation and development Jarullah Mansoori said he would try to facilitate the rural areas and electricity villages with the help of line ministries. He presented his next five-year work plan to the parliament and answered questions from the lawmakerse. "Strengthening agriculture, irrigation sectors, livestock and providing power facilities to outreach areas would be my priorities," he said and added his ministry would oversee work on projects to maintain their quality. ss/ma
