Afghan president moves acting defence minister to head spy agency

Author: Agencies

KABAL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has appointed a new acting defence minister to replace Masoom Stanekzai, a loyalist ally whom he has shifted to lead the main intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

The changes, announced late on Thursday, underline the uncertainty at the top of Afghanistan’s security apparatus that has hindered the fight against the Taliban and other insurgents since Ghani’s National Unity Government came to power in 2014. Stanekzai, who was well regarded by NATO commanders but never confirmed in office by parliament, moves to take over the NDS, whose director, Rahmatullah Nabil, resigned in December after disagreeing with Ghani’s moves towards rapprochement with Pakistan.

Stanekzai is replaced as caretaker defense minister by General Abdullah Khan, previously chief of staff at the ministry.

Both appointments will have to be approved by parliament, which failed to confirm Stanekzai as defense minister for well over a year amid wrangling in the government led by Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, the two rivals in a disputed 2014 election.

Last month, parliament approved former army general Taj Mohammad Jahid as interior minister after the previous incumbent, Noor-ul-Haq Olomi, resigned following heavy criticism over deteriorating security.

At the time, the speaker of parliament asked the government to present nominees to lead the defense ministry and the NDS so that the caretaker arrangement could be ended.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has appointed a new acting defense minister to replace Masoom Stanekzai, a loyalist ally whom he has shifted to lead the main intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS). The changes, announced late on Thursday, underline the uncertainty at the top of Afghanistan’s security apparatus that has hindered the fight against the Taliban and other insurgents since Ghani’s National Unity Government came to power in 2014.

Stanekzai, who was well regarded by NATO commanders but never confirmed in office by parliament, moves to take over the NDS, whose director, Rahmatullah Nabil, resigned in December after disagreeing with Ghani’s moves towards rapprochement with Pakistan.

Stanekzai is replaced as caretaker defense minister by General Abdullah Khan, previously chief of staff at the ministry.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Business

CEO LetsRemotify Mahroz Khan Honored with “Best Digital Pioneer Award”

Muhammad Mahroz Khan, CEO and Co-founder of Letsremotify, has been honored with “The Best Digital…

6 hours ago
  • Pakistan

FIA apprehends five persons involved in human trafficking,visa fraud

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Gujranwala Zone on Friday apprehended five individuals involved in human…

9 hours ago
  • World

Children now freezing to death in war-shattered Gaza: UN

The horrors in Gaza show no signs of abating, the United Nations said Thursday, noting…

9 hours ago
  • Business

December remittances hit $3.1bn, marking growth of 29.6%

Pakistan's remittances totaled $3.1 billion in December, reflecting a 29.3% increase compared to the same…

9 hours ago
  • Top Stories

Govt saved Rs 1.1 trillion through talks with IPPs: Awais Leghari

Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Thursday said that the government…

10 hours ago
  • Op-Ed

Defying High Court

The protest orchestrated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on November 26 stands as a glaring…

11 hours ago