KARACHI:
Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was removed from his position through a vote of no-confidence moved by a united opposition. PML-N Vice President Shehbaz Sharif has been elected as the leader of the house and subsequently formed a cabinet comprising members of all opposition parties.
We are not sure as to what criteria the new Prime Minister has used to elect these new state ministers. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is believed to serve as foreign minister, left for England without taking his oath. Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who was to assume charge as a minister for state, turned down the offer. And Hina Rabbani Khar, who previously held the position of a federal minister, has been appointed as the state minister of foreign affairs. In addition, it has already been widely touted that of the 34 newly announced cabinet members, 24 are out on bail. The new PM should be careful in his selection. He must follow the merit criteria and ensure representation of all provinces in the cabinet.
It is understandable that Shehbaz Sharif is currently in a precarious situation as he is representing a coalition of 13 different parties. But he must remember that creating a well-rounded cabinet is essential for his performance in the next election, which might come sooner than later.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2022.
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