A 24-member interim cabinet on Thursday took oath of office, joining caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar in governing Pakistan until general elections are held.
President Arif Alvi administered the oath to the newly-appointed interim ministers in a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Of the 24 cabinet members, 16 are federal ministers, three advisers to the prime minister, and five special assistants to the prime minister. They comprise politicians, former bureaucrats, technocrats, celebrities and journalists.
Ministers
Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, a former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan who had also held the slot of caretaker finance minister in 2018, has been appointed the minister finance, revenue, economic affairs and privatization.
Lt. Gen. (retd.) Anwar Ali Hyder, who chaired the Naya Pakistan Housing Development Authority in the PTI-led government, has been appointed the defense and defense production minister. Jalil Abbasi Jilani, a former foreign secretary was earlier speculated to be appointed the interim prime minister, has been tasked with the foreign ministry.
Former Balochistan home minister Sarfaraz Bugti, a close friend of P.M. Kakar, has been given the three portfolios of interior, overseas Pakistanis and narcotics control.
The information ministry has been placed with senior journalist Murtaza Solangi, who had earlier served as director-general of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation. Senior lawyer Ahmad Irfan Aslam, a former member of the Supreme Court’s International Arbitration Cell, has been granted the ministries of law and justice, climate change and water resources.
The ministries of power and petroleum have been given to Muhammad Ali, a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Industrialist Gohar Ejaz, meanwhile, has been made minister of commerce, and industries and production.
Dr. Umar Saif, former head of the Punjab I.T. Board, has been made minister of information technology and telecom, and science and technology, while former federal secretary Muhammad Sami Saeed would serve as the minister of planning, development and special initiatives.
Actor and director Jamal Shah has been appointed the federal minister for national heritage and culture, while journalist Madad Ali Sindhi has been given the portfolio of federal education and professional training. Prominent public health expert Dr. Nadeem Jan has been granted the national health services, regulations and coordination ministry, while Khalil George of the Balochistan Awami Party has been awarded the human rights ministry.
Religious scholar Aniq Ahmed would serve as the minister for religious affairs and interfaith harmony, while Capt. (retd.) Shahid Ashraf Tarar has been tasked with overseeing the three ministries of communications, maritime affairs, and railways.
Advisers
Air Marshal (retd.) Farhat Hussain has been appointed an adviser to the P.M. on aviation with the status of a federal minister. Similarly, former bureaucrat Ahad Khan Cheema has been appointed adviser on establishment. Former federal secretary Waqar Masood will serve as special adviser on finance, with the status of a state minister.
Special assistants
Of the five SAPMs appointed by the interim prime minister, Mishal Hussain Malik, wife of Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik, has been granted the portfolio of adviser on human rights and women empowerment. Jawad Sohrab Malilk has been made the SAPM for overseas Pakistanis, while Vice Admiral (retd.) Iftikhar Rao would serve as adviser on maritime affairs. TV anchor Wasih Shah would serve as the SAPM on tourism, and educationist Syeda Arifa Zehra has been appointed the SAPM on federal education and professional training.