KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani, during a meeting with a delegation of the Wolesi Jirga, said on Saturday the ministers-designate would be introduced to the lower house for a vote of confidence on Tuesday.

The cabinet nominees were to appear before the assembly today but the house session was postponed. More than three months after being sworn in, the government named the 25-member cabinet last week after missing several deadlines.

After the meeting with Ghani, Wolesi Jirga Secretary Irfanullah Irfan told Pajhwok Afghan News the president was not ready to send his cabinet picks to the lower house. He said the president had apologised for delaying the process till Tuesday.

Irfan added Ghani was engaged in preparation of a five years plan and that was why he was not ready for the trust vote process. The president pledged to introduce the ministers-designate on Tuesday to the lower house, he added

On the issue of dual nationality, the president said Wolesi Jirga members reserved the right to decide the fate of the nominees who had the citizenship of more countries than one.

Earlier, the Wolesi Jirga decided not to give a trust vote to ministers-designate with dual nationality. Under Article 72 of the constitution, ministers should have only Afghan nationality. But the Jirga has the authority to accept or reject them.

The secretary believed dual nationality-holders could leave the country after committing graft or others crimes. He claimed majority of former ministers committed corruption but were not prosecuted.

Such cabinet members did not accord priority to the supreme national interest, as they could reap the benefits of dual nationality, Irfan argued. (Pajhwok)