KABUL - A number of major political nominations were introduced to Parliament for confirmation by Muhammad Karim Khalili, the Second Vice-President of Afghanistan, on Monday. Khalili also took the opportunity to speak to the Lower House about the importance of the upcoming elections and a smooth transition of power in Kabul.

The nominees introduced on Monday included Mohammad Omer Daudzai for the post of Minister of Interior; Muhammad Ekram Ekhpalwak as Minister of Borders & Tribal Affairs; Nasrullah Stanikzai and Lutfurrahman Saeed as members of the Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of Constitution (COIC); and Barat Ali as a member of the Supreme Court.

Although news of the nominations has been public for a number of weeks, Khalili had to officially introduce them to the Lower House for a "vote of confidence."

The selection of Daudzai, the former Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, received a lot of attention when it was first announced as he had previously been a favored candidate for the Presidential elections next spring. Assuming the position of Interior Minister will legally bar him from contesting the elections.

President Hamid Karzai announced his choice of Daudzai as the next Minister of Interior back in August. The previous Minister, Mujtaba Patang, was impeached back in July when he lost a "vote of confidence" in Parliament.

During his trip to the Lower House, Khalili took the opportunity to speak about the upcoming spring elections and the challenges they faced.

"The determination of the government of Afghanistan is this that the political transition happen transparently and justly. Transparency in the elections is the hope of all Afghans. The government and the people demand transparency," Khalili said.

The Presidential and Provincial Councils' elections are scheduled to take place on April 5, but many officials and experts have said that security still remains a major threat, that could derail the elections and inhibit them from being held in a transparent and legitimate manner.

According to the most recent reports offered by security officials, among the 6,845 total polling stations, security for 3,435 has been guaranteed, leaving 3,410 polling centers still under some level of threat.

Security preparations for the upcoming elections is sure to be one of the top priorities for Daudzai as he assumes responsibility of the Ministry of Interior. Patang, is predecessor, was voted out of office by Parliament because of his inability to effectively address emerging security threats. (Tolo news)