Political heavyweights make way to new federal cabinet
Photo: PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif unveiled the federal cabinet on Tuesday, comprising 31 ministers and three ministers of state, including five women, doling out the ministerial posts to all the political heavyweights from the coalition parties.
The new cabinet sprang no big surprises, as it drew mostly from the prime minister’s own Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and its major ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Both parties combined forces to oust the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government through a no-confidence vote on April 10.
Like the oath-taking of Prime Minister Shehbaz himself, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was summoned in capacity as the acting president for the swearing in of the new ministers. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz besides a large of parliamentarians.
The ministers from the PML-N are: Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Khurrum Dastagir Khan, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Javed Latif, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Miftah Ismail.
The ministers from the PPP are: Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Abdul Qadir Patel, Shazia Marri, Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Sajid Hussain Turi, Ehsaanur Rehman Mazari and Abid Hussain Bhayo.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) ministers are: Asad Mahmood, Abdul Wasay, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, and Talha Mahmood. Syed Aminul Haque and Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari represent the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P).
One ministry each has been given to the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP). The ministers are Muhammad Israr Tareen, and Nawabzada Shazain Bugti, representing the two parties, respectively. PML-Quaid’s Tariq Bashir Cheema has also been made a minister.
The three ministers of state are: Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha and Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju of the PML-N and Hina Rabbani Khar of the PPP. Besides, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Engineer Amir Muqam and Aon Chaudhry have been made advisers to the prime minister.
The new cabinet reflected a political mix of the PML-N, (13 ministers, 2 ministers of state and 1 adviser), PPP (9 ministers, 1 minister of state and 1 adviser), JUI-F (4 ministers), MQM-P (2 ministers), and BAP, JWP and PML-Q (1 minister each). Only the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) stayed away.
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According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Khawaja Asif got the defence portfolio; Ahsan Iqbal, planning and development; Rana Sanaullah, interior; Rana Tanveer, education; Marriyum Aurangzeb, information; Saad Rafique, railways and aviation; Syed Khursheed Shah, water resources; Syed Naveed Qamar, commerce; Sherry Rehman, climate change; Qadir Patel, health; Shazia Marri, poverty alleviation and social safety; Murtaza Mahmud, industries; Sajid Turi, overseas Pakistanis; Ehsaan Mazari, human rights; Abid Bhayo, privatisation; Asad Mahmood, communications; Abdul Wasay, housing and works; Mufti Shakoor, religious affairs; and Talha Mahmood, state and frontier regions; Aminul Haque information technology; and Faisal Subzwari, maritime affairs; Israr Tareen, defence production; Shazain Bugti, narcotics control; and Tariq Bashir Cheema, food security.
The notification also said that Dr Pasha would be the state minister for finance and revenue and Hina Rabbani Khar for foreign affairs. According to another notification Qamar Zaman Kaira would be the adviser to the prime minister on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Prior to the oath-taking ceremony, the President House issued a statement, saying that President Dr Arif Alvi had given formal approval to the names of the federal and state ministers, and advisers, forwarded by the prime minister.
After the ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed the hope that the new cabinet would work efficiently towards addressing the problems facing the people of the country. In a tweet, he added that dedication and persistent work was the motto of his government.
“Federal cabinet has been formed after thorough consultations with Mian Nawaz Sharif & coalition partners. It is my fervent hope that federal ministers, ministers of state & advisers will provide leadership & resolve the problems of the people. Work, work & only work is our motto,” he tweeted.
There are five women in the cabinet. But so far, no-one has been named as a foreign minister. Previously it was expected that the role would be taken up by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. If confirmed, Bilawal would be one of the world's youngest foreign ministers.
(WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)