Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to make a few changes in his cabinet. According to some well-placed source, the Prime Minister is not happy with some Ministers and their performance has dismayed him. Moreover, PTI’s senior leader and former Finance Minister Asad Umar is expected to be inducted in the cabinet with a new assignment.
There are some reports which suggest that the behavior of some federal Ministers was not in line with the government policy. PM Khan has repeatedly said that the ministers have been given responsibilities to look into the problems people are facing, “nobody is here to rule,” he has clarified.
Federal cabinet Reshuffle: Following Changes in Portfolios along with New Ministers https://t.co/EHPVBSFT5a pic.twitter.com/iB3uwt1d56
— Times of lsIamabad (@TimesofIslambad) September 30, 2019
A source said that when one of the MNAs complained that Ministers did not entertain his complaints regarding people’s problems, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction and said: “those who will not deliver will be removed”.
PM also said in the meeting that he is looking at the performance of every Minister and will take the decision accordingly. The meeting, co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Parliament House, also discussed Mr. Khan’s recent visit to the United States and address at the UN General Assembly where he successfully raised the issue of India-held Jammu and Kashmir.
While talking to local media, Asad Umar said the Prime Minister had hinted at his [Mr. Umar’s] return to the cabinet. “When I informed the Prime Minister that I have ample time but no work to do, he said I will be given a new assignment very soon,” Mr. Umar added.
It has also been reported that Prime Minister Khan reprimanded PTI lawmaker Noor Alam Khan for delivering a speech in the National Assembly recently on the price hike.
According to media reports, portfolios of some federal Ministers like Shafqat Mehmood, Zubeda Jalal, Ijaz Shah, Fawad Chaudhry, Firdous Ashiq Awan, and Nadeem Afzal Chan could be changed. PTI leader Babar Awan is likely to get some important position in the government.
Some sources claim that the premier is unhappy over the performance of Ms. Awan who replaced Fawad Ch. Fawad Chaudhry was believed to be someone who was working diligently to free PTV and offer a framework of control and regulation for the private media industry. However, he was removed from the post for reasons unknown and given the portfolio of the Federal Minister for Science and Technology. He is also on the hit list and likely to be given another portfolio.
Some PTI leaders are also arguing for to have Dr. Shahbaz Gill in the federal cabinet who previously served as a spokesperson for the Chief Minister Punjab, Usman Buzdar, and defended his government despite the dismal state of affairs. Dr. Gill who has been a professor at a university in the United States of America a vocal PTI leader who defended the party with grace. He is expected to return to the Centre.
Read more: Naya Pakistan: New Cabinet and the future of old-PTI
It has also been reported that Prime Minister Khan reprimanded PTI lawmaker Noor Alam Khan for delivering a speech in the National Assembly recently on the price hike.
Recently, a reshuffle also took place in the Punjab where Ministers were changed. Mian Aslam Iqbal has been given additional charge of the provincial Information and Culture ministries to replace Syed Sumsam Bukhari.
Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce & Investment Mian Aslam Iqbal given additional charge of Information & Culture ministry#DunyaNews #Dunyaupdates
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) July 19, 2019
Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Local Bodies, and Community Development Basharat Raja has been assigned the Ministry of Social Welfare and Bait-Ul-Mal, according to the sources. Provincial Minister for Sports Muhammad Taimur Khan has been given the tourism department, while Mohammad Ajmal has been made Member of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team.
The performance of the Buzdar-led government in Punjab has been a big challenge for the PTI to defend. The government has largely failed to materialize its promise of change and human development. Many people now believe that the incumbent government in Punjab lacks fresh thinking and new ideas to deal with perennial and complex issues.
If PM @ImranKhanPTI performs at home half of what he did in UNGA, he would become unmatched. How could a person, who delivered such a spectacular speech at UN, insist on keeping @UsmanAKBuzdar as CM Punjab. Country’s governance and economy direly need the PM we saw at UNGA.
— Ansar Abbasi (@AnsarAAbbasi) September 28, 2019