Top bureaucracy appears reluctant to remove nameplates of former ministers displayed outside offices in ministries because they are expected to be reinstated by Friday when the new Prime Minister will be elected. Officially, Cabinet Division on Wednesday denitrified former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his 63-member cabinet, with effect from April 26, 2012.
Nameplates of Finance Minister, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Petroleum, Dr Asim Hussain, Minister for Water and Power, Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Industries, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Housing and Works, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Minister for Production, Anwar Ali Cheema, Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Minister for Privatisation Ghaus Bux Mahar and other ministers are still displayed on the outer walls of their offices.
"We are not removing the nameplates of ministers although they have been denitrified by the Cabinet Division as we may lose our jobs if and when the same ministers return," said lower staff members in various ministers' offices. One of the staff members argued that the nameplates of ministers are displayed opposite the offices of federal secretaries, so why do they not show courage and ask the staff to remove the nameplates.
The offices of directors or staff officers to the ministers were seen occupied by the political sympathisers of denitrified ministers who were using official telephones and other facilities. For instance, office of Commerce Minister's Staff Officer was seen occupied by Aslam Pirzada, a Karachi-based political associate of Makhdoom Amin Fahim. He was seen using the official telephone and this was brought to the notice of Secretary Commerce.
Other ex-ministers remained in touch with the top officials of their former ministries and gave them directions on different policy issues. "We understand that the same ministers will return so we are implementing their directives as before," commented one of the top officials in Ministry of Industries. The notification, dated June 19, and released to the press on Wednesday notes the disqualification of Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani from being a Member of Parliament by the Supreme Court, and the notification issued by the Election Commission on Tuesday.
"Gilani has also ceased to hold the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan with effect from 26th April, 2012," said the notification that would be published in the 'Gazette of Pakistan Extraordinary'. Another notification by the Cabinet Division states that upon cessation of the office of the Prime Minister, 35 federal ministers, 18 ministers of state, four advisers to the Prime Minister and six special assistants to the Prime Minister also cease to hold their respective offices with effect from April 26, 2012. According to the Cabinet Division, list of ministers along with portfolio will be available soon. Meanwhile, photograph of Prime Minister has also been removed from the website following Supreme Court's verdict.
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