High-Profile Afghan Finance Official Resigns

31 December 2004 (RFE/RL) -- A high-ranking official in the Afghan Finance Ministry has said that she and three other senior members of the ministry have resigned following the appointment of the new finance minister.

Sima Ghani was quoted as saying yesterday that the workings and principles of the ministry would change with the appointment of a new minister and that she might not agree with the changes.

President Hamid Karzai replaced former Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai following Karzai's 7 December inauguration as president. The new minister is Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi, a former governor of Afghanistan's central bank.

Sima said she resigned on 25 December and that the finance minister accepted it.