by Khaleeq Kiani | Malik Asad in Dawn, December 12th, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Though the cabinet reshuffle may take some pressure off the government in light of the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) recent judgement stating that unelected advisers cannot hold executive responsibilities, the working of important official functionaries remains clouded in uncertainty…….
After Dr Shaikh’s elevation as a federal minister, the government is left with four advisers — Abdul Razak Dawood (Commerce), Dr Ishrat Hussain (Institutional Reforms), Mirza Shahzad Akbar (Interior) and Dr Babar Awan (Parliamentary Affairs).
The special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM) include Ali Nawaz Awan who looks after the Capital Development Authority affairs, Mohammad Shahzad Arbab, establishment; Raoof Hasan, information; Faisal Sultan, health; Moeed Yusuf, National Security Division; Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, overseas Pakistanis; Nadeem Afzal Gondal, parliamentary coordination; Nadeem Babar, petroleum; Amir Dogar, political affairs; Sania Nishtar, poverty alleviation; Shahbaz Gill, political communication; Tabish Gauhar, Power Division; Malik Amin Aslam, climate change; Dr Waqar Masood Khan, revenue and Usman Dar, youth affairs.
The high court’s order, however, affects the working of those among the prime minister’s aides who are heading ministries, exercising executive powers and are members of cabinet committees or are presiding over them……
Earlier this week the prime minister, when asked by senior journalists about the limits put by the IHC judgement on the working of his unelected advisers, had said he would “find some solution”.
This was found in the rarely used Article 91(9) of the Constitution which the previous PML-N government had applied to appoint Miftah Ismail as minister for finance, revenue and economic affairs after Ishaq Dar relinquished charge of office. It is now expected that PTI will induct Dr Shaikh in the Senate in March so he can continue working as the finance minister…….
www.dawn.com/news/1595256/govt-weighing-options-to-retain-pms-aides
