KABUL – Presidential palace officials on Sunday announced the final list of nominees in key Afghan ministries and Afghan intelligence agency – National Directorate of Security (NDS).
Rafi Ferdous a spokesman for the presidential palace head office said former interior minister Bismillah Mohammadi has been nominated as Afghan defense minister, Mujtaba Patan as Afghan interior minister, Asadullah Khalid as Afghan intelligence — National Directorate of Security (NDS) Chief and Haji Din Mohammad as the minister of tribal affairs.

Mr. Ferdous said the list of the nominees will be forwarded to Afghan house of representatives in the near future.

This comes as earlier reports suggested Afghan president Hamid Karzai has asked Rahmatullah Nabeel to continue as the Afghan intelligence — National Directorate of Security chief.

The removal of Rahmatullah Nabil as the chief of the Afghan intelligence was criticized by Afghan lawmakers calling it the growing pragmatic policies of the Afghan government.

Afghan lawmakers also said neighboring intelligence agencies are behind the decision of president Hamid Karzai to dismiss Rahmatullah Nabil however the main opposition coalition of the Afghan government — National Coalition of Afghanistan on Saturday accused the government of paving the way for interference in upcoming presidential elections by bringing changes in key government organizations.

This comes as unconfirmed reports suggested that Assadullah Khalid the current minister of frontier and tribal affairs has been nominated as the Afghan intelligence chief.

His nomination as the Afghan intelligence chief also sparked objections by a number of international organizations including human rights watch who urged president Karzai to prevent electing Asadullah Khalid as Afghan intelligence chief.

Human Rights watch claimed that Asadullah Khalid used to control a private detention cell in southern Kandahar province while he was serving provincial governor and used to torture the detainees. (KP)