President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi administrated oath of sixteen-member caretaker cabinet of the Federal Government in Islamabad on Thursday afternoon.
The Ministers who took oath include Murtaza Solangi, Dr Umar Saif, Sarfraz Bugti, Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Gohar Ejaz, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Jamal Shah, Dr Nadeem Jan, Aneeq Ahmed, Muhammad Sami, Ahmed Irfan, and Anwar Ali Haider.
A national daily reported that as many as 16 federal ministers, six special advisers and three advisers are part of the new cabinet. Federal ministers Senator Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti – Interior/ Overseas Pakistanis/ NARCO, Jalil Abbas Jilani – Foreign Affairs, Shamshad Akhtar – Finance and Revenue / Economic Affairs /Statistics/ Privatization, Lt General (retd) Anwar Ali Hyder – Defence/ Defence Production/ Aviation, Murtaza Solangi – Information and Broadcasting, Sami Saeed – Planning Development, Shahid Ashraf Tarar – Communication (Railways/ Postal Services/ Ports/ Maritime Affairs), Ahmad Irfan Aslam – Law and Justice / National Resources / Climate Change and Water, Muhammad Ali – Energy and Power / Petroleum, Gohar Ejaz – Commerce/ Textile / Industries / Production, Umar Saif – Information Technology and Telecommunication /Science and Technology, Nadeem Jan – National Health Services, Regulation and Control, Khalil George – National Health Services, Regulation and Control, Aneeq Ahmad – Religious Affairs/ Hajj/ Interfaith Harmony, Jamal Shah – National Heritage and Culture, Madad Ali Sindhi – Federal Education / National Harmony / Youth Affairs.
It is pertinent to mention that incumbent caretaker law minister Ahmad Irfan Aslam led the International Disputes Unit in the office of the Attorney General for Pakistan during June 2017. His pivotal contribution was instrumental in facilitating Pakistan’s successful resolution of the Karkey and Reko Diq cases through out-of-court settlements. International arbitrators had imposed fines to the tune of billions of dollars in these cases.
Likewise Advisers to PM includes Air Marshal (retd) Farhat Hussain Khan – Aviation, Ahad Khan Cheema – Establishment, Waqar Masood Khan – Finance. Special Advisors Mishal Hussain Malik – Human Rights / Women Empowerment , Jawad Sohrab Malik – Overseas, Vice Admiral (retd) Iftikhar Rao – Maritime Affairs, Wasih Shah – Tourism, Dr Jehanzeb Khan – Govt Effectiveness / SIFC, Syeda Arifa Zehra – Education and National Harmony Affairs.
The ceremony started with the National Anthem before the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran and was attended by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, politicians and prominent figures from all walks of life. Ministers, advisers assigned portfolios soon after the oath taking ceremony, the caretaker ministers, advisers and special advisers were assigned their portfolios by Interim Premier Kakar. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the prime minister awarded the portfolios of Finance and Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation to former State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor Shamshad Akhtar. Earlier this week, Dr Akhtar who was also finance minister in the caretaker government prior to the 2018 general election she was conferred Nishan-e-Imtiaz by President Alvi on Independence Day. She served as the SBP governor from January 2, 2006, for a three-year term, becoming the first woman to head the country’s central bank.
Former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani has been given the ministry of foreign affairs. Jilani has 38 years of bilateral and multilateral experience as a public servant and career diplomat, having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Belgium, Luxemburg, the EU, and Australia. Jilani was appointed foreign secretary in 2012, and while serving the post, he was closely involved in negotiations and finalisation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), signing the key agreements for the project during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang under the then-Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.
Eminent textile industrialist and Chief Executive of Ejaz Group of Companies Dr Gohar Ejaz has been assigned portfolios of Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production. Furthermore, ministries of Interior, Overseas Pakistanis and NARCO has been assigned to Senator Sarfraz Bugti. Previously, he held the portfolio of minister of home and tribal affairs of Balochistan. Lieutenant General (retd) Anwar Ali Haider was given the portfolios of Defence, Defence Production and Aviation.
