KABUL - President Hamid Karzai is expected to refer next week his ministers-designate to the lower house of Parliament for a vote of confidence, the Wolesi Jirga speaker said on Wednesday.
Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi told the house he had talked to the president, who promised sending his Cabinet choices and two members of the Constitutional Oversight Commission during the upcoming week.
Ministries of water and energy, women's affairs, public health, transport and aviation, information technology and higher education are currently being headed by acting ministers.

Karzai had introduced the acting ministers as his Cabinet picks to the Wolesi Jirga soon after his reelection in 2009, but they failed to win the required number of votes.

Five members of the Constitutional Oversight Commission gained a trust vote from Parliament nearly two years ago, but the remaining two are yet to do so. Karzai has also failed to introduce three Supreme Court High Council members, whose tenure has already expired.

Lawmakers have long been asking the president to introduce his Cabinet nominees as to the Wolesi Jirga in line with the constitutional requirement.

Deputy Speaker Ahmad Farhad Azimi said they had received documents of two nominees for the oversight commission. Karzai was expected to name his ministers-designate soon, he added.

Ibrahimi blamed some lawmakers for acting against house decisions. He said the assembly had decided that no one would take part in the proposed traditional Jirga, which is expected to be called into session to discuss a strategic partnership deal between Afghanistan and the US.

Flouting the decision, about 10 legislators had filled out forms for participation in the Jirga, he pointed out, without naming the members.