Caretaker cabinet of PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar sworn in

Abida Shaheen

Islamabad: Newly-appointed Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s cabinet was sworn in on Thursday at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.

President Arif Alvi administered the oath to the 19-member interim federal cabinet.

According to a document, 16 federal ministers, 6 special advisers and 3 advisers are part of the new cabinet.

The ceremony started with the national anthem before the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran and was attended by Intermin Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, politicians and prominent figures from all walks of life.

Soon after the oath taking ceremony, the caretaker ministers, advisers and special advisers were assigned their portfolios by Interim Premier Kakar.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the prime minister awarded the portfolios of Finance and Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation to former State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor Shamshad Akhtar. Earlier this week, Dr Akhtar — who was also finance minister in the caretaker government prior to the 2018 general election — was conferred Nishan-e-Imtiaz by President Alvi on Independence Day.

Former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani has been given the ministry of foreign affairs. Jilani has 38 years of bilateral and multilateral experience as a public servant and career diplomat, having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Belgium, Luxemburg, the EU, and Australia.

Jilani was appointed foreign secretary in 2012, and while serving the post, he was closely involved in negotiations and finalisation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), signing the key agreements for the project during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang under the then-Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.

Eminent textile industrialist and Chief Executive of Ejaz Group of Companies Dr Gohar Ejaz has been assigned portfolios of Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production.

Furthermore, ministries of Interior, Overseas Pakistanis and NARCO has been assigned to Senator Sarfraz Bugti. Previously, he held the portfolio of minister of home and tribal affairs of Balochistan.

Lieutenant General (retd) Anwar Ali Haider was given the portfolios of Defence, Defence Production and Aviation