K-P cabinet reshuffle likely next week
Shaukat Yousafzai says lawmakers from ex-Fata will expand the provincial cabinet
K-P CM Mahmood Khan. PHOTO: PTI
PESHAWAR:
Having hinted at it earlier in the week, the provincial government on Thursday came closest to confirming that the provincial cabinet is headed for a major reshuffle and expansion.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Information and Public Relations Shaukat Yousafzai on Thursday told media persons at the Peshawar Press Club that the government is likely to induct some members from the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata) next week.
Yousafzai said that the newly-inducted lawmakers are likely to get either ministers or some advisory posts.
However, the shakeup in the cabinet is unlikely to stop there. The information minister said that there is a possibility that portfolios of some existing ministers could be changed and some new advisers could be appointed.
"I will have no problem if my ministry is changed," he explained, adding that in the first phase, some portfolios of provincial ministers and advisers to the chief minister could change.
In the second phase, if the cabinet members do not deliver, they could be replaced with others.
The minister, though, did not reveal which ministers could be replaced with new faces or who will lose their current ministry.
A reshuffle in the provincial cabinet has been on the cards ever since it was suggested by the senior leadership of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a few months ago while the provincial government has been promising the inclusion of lawmakers from the newly-merged tribal districts (NMTDs) ever since the first provincial assembly elections were held there in July 2019.
In response to a question, Yousafzai said that the appointment of a new inspector general of police was based on a decision taken by the chief minister and the prime minister because of the law and order situation of the province.
With the federal government raising prices of petroleum prices at the new year, the information minister argued that the economic situation is improving in the province and that the government is making efforts to control inflation.
He further said that the government is aware of gas load shedding in Peshawar and that they were working to address the problem.
“We have made tough decisions in the country’s interests, we will not take cosmetic measures to improve the economy but the economy of the country is improving now as the government has not taken any loan in the past six months,” Yousafzai claimed.
Conceding that unemployment has increased over the past year and a half the PTI has been in power, the information minister insisted that the economy is improving gradually.
The provincial minister further said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating the Billion Tree Tsunami. He went on to welcome investigations by every department into major projects, including in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
On the absence of the ministers' from the assembly session, the minister said that the chief minister has taken notice of the request made by the K-P Assembly speaker and has directed ministers to give time to their departments and assembly sessions.
Regarding the constitutional amendment to extend the term of the chief of army staff, he said that after the amendments are made to the law, all kinds of storms will subside.
He appreciated the Peshawar Press Club for upholding the democratic tradition of holding elections and working for the media community.
Yousafzai further said that journalists have greater responsibilities and they should highlight the evils and problems of society. He announced that soon Seht Insaf Cards will be issued to journalists of the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 3rd, 2020.
Having hinted at it earlier in the week, the provincial government on Thursday came closest to confirming that the provincial cabinet is headed for a major reshuffle and expansion.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Information and Public Relations Shaukat Yousafzai on Thursday told media persons at the Peshawar Press Club that the government is likely to induct some members from the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata) next week.
Yousafzai said that the newly-inducted lawmakers are likely to get either ministers or some advisory posts.
However, the shakeup in the cabinet is unlikely to stop there. The information minister said that there is a possibility that portfolios of some existing ministers could be changed and some new advisers could be appointed.
"I will have no problem if my ministry is changed," he explained, adding that in the first phase, some portfolios of provincial ministers and advisers to the chief minister could change.
In the second phase, if the cabinet members do not deliver, they could be replaced with others.
The minister, though, did not reveal which ministers could be replaced with new faces or who will lose their current ministry.
A reshuffle in the provincial cabinet has been on the cards ever since it was suggested by the senior leadership of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a few months ago while the provincial government has been promising the inclusion of lawmakers from the newly-merged tribal districts (NMTDs) ever since the first provincial assembly elections were held there in July 2019.
In response to a question, Yousafzai said that the appointment of a new inspector general of police was based on a decision taken by the chief minister and the prime minister because of the law and order situation of the province.
With the federal government raising prices of petroleum prices at the new year, the information minister argued that the economic situation is improving in the province and that the government is making efforts to control inflation.
He further said that the government is aware of gas load shedding in Peshawar and that they were working to address the problem.
“We have made tough decisions in the country’s interests, we will not take cosmetic measures to improve the economy but the economy of the country is improving now as the government has not taken any loan in the past six months,” Yousafzai claimed.
Conceding that unemployment has increased over the past year and a half the PTI has been in power, the information minister insisted that the economy is improving gradually.
The provincial minister further said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating the Billion Tree Tsunami. He went on to welcome investigations by every department into major projects, including in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
On the absence of the ministers' from the assembly session, the minister said that the chief minister has taken notice of the request made by the K-P Assembly speaker and has directed ministers to give time to their departments and assembly sessions.
Regarding the constitutional amendment to extend the term of the chief of army staff, he said that after the amendments are made to the law, all kinds of storms will subside.
He appreciated the Peshawar Press Club for upholding the democratic tradition of holding elections and working for the media community.
Yousafzai further said that journalists have greater responsibilities and they should highlight the evils and problems of society. He announced that soon Seht Insaf Cards will be issued to journalists of the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 3rd, 2020.