In a move that has been brewing for days, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar had their portfolios swapped by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Mukhtar, considered a close confidante of the president, is now Minister for Water and Power while Naveed Qamar is Defence Minister.
According to sources, Mukhtar is expected to bring about some ‘major’ changes, including an overall restructuring of the ministry of water and power as per the directions of Premier Gilani.
The source added: “The portfolios have been changed due to the numerous allegations levelled by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI) about the worsening energy crisis, creating anarchy in the country.”
The sources explained that Prime Minister Gilani received several complaints from the PML-N regarding the power ministry’s allegedly discriminatory attitude towards energy distribution due to which Punjab was not receiving its rightful share. It was also alleged that this was because of the water minister’s ‘Sindhi ethnicity’.
As a result of these developments and the worsening power outages, the premier has tasked the newly-appointed minister for water and power to address the issue and come up with a new strategy in the cabinet’s special committee, which was formed to resolve the power crisis.
The prime minister has also directed finance minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh to collaborate with the new minister to discuss the future course of action and sought a report at the next federal cabinet meeting.
When contacted by The Express Tribune, Mukhtar’s office said that the minister would officially take charge on Monday, which is when a notification of the change will be issued, according to an official of the cabinet division. Direct contact with Mukhtar could not be established but his staff said that the minister will soon hold a press conference to share his strategy.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2012.
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