Nominees for four ministries on Wednesday appeared in the Wolesi Jirga, the Lower House of Parliament, to present their plans to the lawmakers while half of them did not attend the session. 

The nominees were Bashir Ahmad Tahyanj for Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Mohammad Halim Qasimi, for Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, Masooma Khawari for Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology, and Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani, the nominee for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. 

Addressing the MPs, Tahyanj said the COVID-19 pandemic has increased poverty and unemployment in the country. 

“I will address all aspects of social needs and transform existing and new capacities from inactive status to an active state by designing and implementing effective programs,” Tahyanj said. 

Mohammad Halim Qasimi, for Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, said he will draft a new strategy for reforms in the ministry. 

So far this week, 10 nominees have presented their plans to the parliament.  

The Parliament is expected to vote for the nominees in their next session. 

Parliament Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani said criticized some MPs for not paying attention to the nominee ministers’ presentations. 

“Please sit down. If you have any personal story, you can go to a coffee shop,” Rahmani said, referring to an MP.