Hafeez now finance minister; Rashid gets interior ministry

• Swati and Shah given portfolios of Railways, narcotics control, respectively

ISLAMABAD: Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has taken oath as Federal Minister for Finance for a period of six months. The oath-taking ceremony was held on Friday at Aiwan-e-Sadr. President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath to Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Dr Hafeez Shaikh as federal minister for finance, and allocated the portfolio of the Ministry of Interior to Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. A notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Friday read that the prime minister has re-allocated the portfolios and assigned Interior Ministry to Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. Azam Khan Swati (senator), Federal Minister for Narcotics Control, was allocated the portfolio of Railways Ministry. Minister for Interior ljaz Ahmad Shah has been given the portfolio of Federal Minister for Narcotics Control.

The reshuffle comes few days after the Islamabad High Court's (IHC's) verdict that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head cabinet committees, setting aside the notification of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization. These committees were headed by Adviser on Finance Dr Shaikh.

A notification of the Adviser on Finance read that in exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution's Article 91(9), the prime minister has been pleased to appoint Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as federal minister.

Shaikh would hold the portfolio of finance as allocated by the prime minister in terms of rule 3 (4) of the rules of Business 1973.

Consequent upon the above appointment, Dr Abdul Hefeez Shaikh would cease to hold the office of the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue.

The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan are also likely to be appointed as federal ministers.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is likely to award Senate tickets to them for the elections of Upper House of the Parliament in 2021, so they could continue holding their positions after becoming senators.

According to a source, Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to appoint Advisor to PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood and Special Assistant to PM on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan as federal ministers for six months as well.

The prime minister under the Constitution has the powers to appoint an unelected individual as a minister for six months.

According to the Article 91(9) of the Constitution, "A minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the National Assembly shall, at the expiration of that period, cease to be a minister and shall not before the dissolution of that assembly be again appointed a minister unless he is elected a member of that Assembly: Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to a minister who is a member of the Senate."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020