News Analysis |
A six-member caretaker federal cabinet sworn in at a ceremony held at the President house Islamabad on Tuesday.
President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the members of the interim cabinet which will serve the country until the new government is not elected in July 25 general elections.
The cabinet includes former governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Shamshad Akhtar, former senator Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Mohammad Yousuf Shaikh, Mohammad Azam Khan, Syed Ali Zafar and former Pakistan ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon.
Read more: Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister: Who & How?
The ceremony was attended by Caretaker Prime Minister retired Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk and many other dignitaries.
After the ceremony, the caretaker prime minister and his cabinet members also held a meeting with President Mamnoon Hussain.
Read more: Pakistan hands over power to caretaker government as polls loom
According to the radio Pakistan, “the President expressed the confidence that the caretaker set up will fulfill its responsibilities regarding the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections in the country. He said the cabinet comprises of the seasoned and experienced lot who will not only uphold rule of law but also come up to the expectations of the people.”
Abdullah Hussain Haroon previously served as an ambassador and Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2008 to 2013. He has been allocated the portfolio of the foreign ministry, with the additional charge of National Security Division and portfolio of Ministry of Defence.
According to the radio Pakistan, “the President expressed the confidence that the caretaker set up will fulfill its responsibilities regarding the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections in the country.
Former SBP governor Shamshad Akhtar is extended the charge of finance minister and planning minister. She was the first female governor of SBP from 2006 to 2009. She is a prominent economist who worked in World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations. She is an under Secretary-General of the United Nation and the tenth Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Moreover, she is serving as the Coordinator of the five United Nations Regional Commissions.
Yusuf Shaikh is the former principal of Cadet College Larkana. He will serve as an education minister under the interim setup.
All important charge of Ministry of Interior is given to Azam Khan who was the former chief secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Read more: PTI nominates names for Caretaker PM
Moreover, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar has been given the portfolio of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, ministry of information and Ministry of Law and Justice. He is the prominent lawyer and activist.
The sixth member of the cabinet, Roshan Khursheed is the former senator and member of Baluchistan assembly in early years of General Musharraf’s regime. He will hold the portfolio minister of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, minister of states and frontier regions and minister of human rights.
The newly inducted members are expected to run the portfolios bestowed to them until country elects its new government next month.
According to the Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017, “a caretaker Government shall perform its functions to attend to day-to-day matters which are necessary to run the affairs of the Government”.
The newly inducted members are expected to run the portfolios bestowed to them until country elects its new government next month
Ministers must remain impartial to political parties and every person and must only restrict to the activities which are routine in nature. The newly inducted ministers may take some urgent measures if deemed important but the upcoming government can reverse the decisions if it wishes after elections.