ISLAMABAD - Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted as prime minister last week, yesterday approved nominees for the new cabinet – taking in almost the entire team that worked under him.
The beleaguered Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader presided over a meeting in Murree which was attended among others by his handpicked Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
PML-N leaders said the meeting discussed the names for the new cabinet and agreed to reintroduce almost the same members who worked under Sharif until the last week.
A PML-N leader told The Nation that two or three new ministers could be added to the cabinet as former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan seems adamant not to rejoin the interior ministry.
“The names of Talal Chaudhry and Danial Aziz were discussed for the post of the ministers of state. They could be inducted in the final team which takes oath tomorrow (August 4),” the PML-N leader said.
Federal ministers Khurram Dastgir Khan, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ishaq Dar, Akram Durrani, Kamran Michael, Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Chaudhry Nisar Ali, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Barjees Tahir, Zahid Hamid, Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Pir Sadaruddin, Sheikh Aftab, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Yousaf, Abdul Qadir Baloch and Khawaja Asif had ceased to hold office after Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification as the PM.
Ministers of state Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Balighur Rehman, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Anusha Rahman, Saira Afzal Tarar, Jam Kamal, Aminul Hasnat Shah, Abid Sher Ali and Usman Ibrahim also lost their jobs.
The ruling PML-N had the gigantic task of finalising a new cabinet. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had vowed to quit politics after the Panama case verdict but is still around and seen active in party meetings. He however seems least interested in taking oath as a minister under a ‘junior’ prime minister.
PML-N sources said that Ch Nisar may be ready to return as a minister if Shehbaz Sharif – the incumbent Punjab chief minister – takes over as the premier in September. But the PML-N is yet to take a decision on Shehbaz Sharif’s elevation.
The party did discuss the option of fielding him for a National Assembly seat from NA 120 – vacated by Nawaz Sharif – but even PM Abbasi was unsure about the final PML-N candidate. “There are still days left to file nominations and we will take a decision soon,” he had said in Murree after meeting with Sharif.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has scheduled polling in NA-120 for September 17. The last day for filing the nomination papers is August 12.
Abbasi wanted to complete his cabinet first which was originally planned to take a day after the PM’s inauguration this week. Senior PML-N members were confused why the formation of the cabinet was being delayed as they only needed a suitable candidate for the interior ministry to replace Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
“The portfolios of the ministers will be announced after the oath-taking. Consultations with the party leadership will continue,” a former minister, who is set to take oath again, said.
He said Ishaq Dar will return as the finance minister and most ministers will retake the charge of the same ministries they were heading before Sharif’s disqualification.
However, there were reports that Khawaja Asif might be named the new foreign minister and Khurram Dastgir could be appointed as the defence minister. Lt-Gen Abdul Qayyum (r) is also in the race for the defence minister’s slot.
PML-N sources said Chaudhry Nisar Ali had been offered the slot of senior federal minister which he had not accepted so far.
Sources said Ahsan Iqbal could replace Nisar as the interior minister and portfolios of some others former ministers could also be changed in the cabinet shuffle. Other insiders said Abdul Qadir Baloch was also a strong candidate to lead the interior ministry as Ahsan was reluctant to accept the interior ministry job.
Like most of the former ministers, Riaz Pirzada (inter-provincial coordination), Zahid Hamid (law) Mir Hasil Bizinjo (posts and shipping), Saddrudin Rashidi (overseas Pakistanis), Akram Durrani (housing) and Ghulam Murtza Jatoi (industries and production) will resume their jobs where they left last week.
Later reports said Ejaz Sherazi from Sindh, Ikram Khan from the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas and minority member Dr Dreshen Lal had also been finalised for the cabinet. The names of Hafiz Kareem, Javaid Ali, Rehman Kanjo, Awais Ahmed Leghari were included from southern Punjab.
Talal Chaudhry could be made minister of state for interior. Saira Tarar will be elevated as the federal minister for health. Former state minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb will retain the information portfolio but could be promoted as the federal minister. Mushahidullah Khan is also expected to make a comeback.
