KABUL, June 24: Afghanistan’s new transitional cabinet was sworn in on Monday, at the presidential palace in Kabul, with former interior minister Yunus Qanooni finally agreeing to rejoin the government as education minister.

Qanooni had been stalling over the post, which was first offered to him last Wednesday on the final day of the Loya Jirga, and said as recently as Sunday that he was considering a period out of government and joining a multi-ethnic political movement.

But an offer by President Hamid Karzai to make him presidential adviser on national security finally won the senior Northern Alliance figure over by alleviating any feeling that he was being sidelined from the centre of power.

Karzai, however, has still been unable to appoint a minister for women’s affairs in succession to Sima Samar.

Samar has been barred from public office by the Chief Justice, Mawalawi Fazel Hadi Shinwari, for making a statement “against the interest of the Afghan Muslim nation”, according to state media.

Karzai revealed that he had offered the post to former Kabul University law professor, Mahboba Hoqooqmal, but that she had yet to accept the job.

“If she accepts, she will be the women’s affairs minister,” Karzai said at the brief ceremony.

The ministers, many of whom were members of the previous interim administration, repeated the oath of office after it was first read out by Karzai from the head of a table in the presidential palace.

Qanooni was seated eight chairs away from the president and the two were not seen exchanging words.

The cabinet members promised “to work to improve the economic, social and security situation in Afghanistan”, to defend “the integrity of Afghanistan”, “to follow the principles of Islam” and “always work in the national interest”.

Senior regional leaders, including the ethnic Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, who was not given a cabinet post, also attended the ceremony along with various diplomats.

Qanooni’s decision to join the government will be a major relief to Karzai. —AFP