The Afghan parliament approved both the foreign and justice ministers on Saturday in the first round of voting for President Hamid Karzai"s second slate of cabinet nominees, Reuters reported. It also emerged on Saturday that the nominee for the ministry of rural development was underage, a government official said. The candidate was 31 years old while under the constitution the minimum age is 34. The first to come to vote and most senior was Zalmay Rasul, a former Karzai security advisor who was approved as foreign minister. The justice minister was also approved. Seven key ministers, including those for the defense, finance and interior portfolios, were approved at the beginning of the month.
