Editorial: Tough battle ahead over cabinet approval

Amid rising tension between the government and the opposition over the composition of the new cabinet, a list of ministers has been sent to the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of parliament, for approval. The composition of the new cabinet, particularly the ousting of Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, clearly shows that the new government has completely expunged those elements that belonged to the government of former President Burhanuddin Rabbani. In an interview with Payam-e-Mujahid Weekly, Rabbani unexpectedly lashed out at President Hamed Karzai, saying, “The president is the defender of the constitution and above all else, he should adhere to it strictly. But the reverse has happened - right from the start, the president insulted the mujahedin by calling them warlords and gunlords.” Reports suggest that the removal of Dr Abdullah was not planned in advance. The outgoing foreign minister told reporters in Washington that he was caught by surprise when the news reached him. In his first reaction, he said, “I had been assured that it would not coincide with my trip.” Such statements by strong figures in the opposition indicated that the Wolesi Jirga will witness heated debates over the approval of the cabinet in coming weeks.