AFGHANISTAN'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT ON SATURDAY REJECTED A PROPOSAL BY PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI'S GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT THE COUNTRY'S CHIEF JUSTICE FOR A SECOND TERM, AN OFFICIAL SAID. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SOUGHT THE REAPPOINTMENT OF FAZAL HADI SHINWARI, AS CHIEF JUSTICE BUT MANY LAWMAKERS BELIEVE HE HAS BEEN BLOCKING JUDICIAL REFORMS AND RESTRICTING FREEDOM OF SPEECH. THE LOWER HOUSE REJECTED SHINWARI'S REAPPOINTMENT WITH A MAJORITY VOTE, CITING HIS OLD AGE. HE IS AGED OVER 70. "HE HAS BEEN REJECTED AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH A NEW NOMINEE," SAID MOHAMMAD HASIB NOORI, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LOWER HOUSE. SHINWARI HAS BEEN ACTING AS TOP JUDGE SINCE THE OUSTER OF THE TALIBAN IN LATE 2001, REUTERS REPORTED.
