Karzai appoints nine to Afghanistan's independent election commission

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 29 (UPI) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai appointed nine new members to Afghanistan's independent election commission Monday.

Rafi Ferdous, spokesman for the Secretariat of Ministers Council, said the appointees are Abdul Rahman Hotaki, Gulalai Achekzai, Sharifa Zurmaqti, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, Sarir Barmak, Laila Ahrari, Aziz Bakhtiari, Mohammad Hussain Garzewani and Sulaiman Hamid.

The nine members of the commission are appointed by the Afghan president for a six-year term.

Garzewani is the only new member with previous experience on the independent election commission, the Afghan news agency Khaama Press noted.