Murtaza Solangi appointed information minister; Jalil Abbas as foreign minister and Lt. Gen Anwar Ali as defence minister

DNA

ISLAMABAD: 18 member caretaker cabinet has taken oath. President Arif Aliv administered the oath.

former governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Dr Shamshad Akhtar is appointed as finance minister, , while former foreign secretary Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani is appointed as the interim foreign minister.

Earlier this week, Dr Akhtar — who was also finance minister in the caretaker government prior to the 2018 general election — was conferred Nishan-i-Imtiaz by President Dr Arif Alvi on Independence Day.

She served as the SBP governor from January 2, 2006, for a three-year term, becoming the first woman to head the country’s central bank.

Meanwhile, 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.

Top sources in the Prime Minister Secretariat said that eminent textile industrialist and Chief Executive of Ejaz Group of Companies Dr Gohar Ejaz is appointed as interim federal minister for commerce and industries.

Senior journalist Murtaza Solangi has been appointed as the caretaker Information Minister. Ashraf Tarar appointed communication minister, Sarfraz Bugti Interior Minister, Tabish Gohar Energy Minister, Irfan Asalm Ministe for Law, Jamal Shah minister for culture, Aniq Ahmed Minister for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Sami Saeed, Khalil George, Madad Ali Sindhi also appointed ministers.

Jalil Abbas Jilani, Shamshad Akhtar, Sarfaraz Bugti among members sworn in; Poet Wasi Shah gets tourism ministry; senior journalist Murtaza Solangi get Information Ministry

Mahnoor Ansar

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Thursday administered oath to members of newly appointed caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s cabinet.

The oath-taking ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran at the President House in Islamabad, which was attended by Kakar, Punjab interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and others.

According to a list of cabinet members issued by the Presidency, 16 federal ministers took oath while the interim PM has also appointed three advisers.

Federal ministers

1. Senator Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti — Interior/ Overseas Pakistanis/ NARCO
2. Jalil Abbas Jilani — Foreign Affairs
3. Shamshad Akhtar — Finance and Revenue / Economic Affairs /Statistics/ Privatization
4. Lt General (retd) Anwar Ali Hyder — Defence/ Defence Production/ Aviation
5. Murtaza Solangi — Information and Broadcasting
6. Sami Saeed — Planning Development
7. Shahid Ashraf Tarar — Communication (Railways/ Postal Services/ Ports/ Maritime Affairs)
8. Ahmad Irfan Aslam — Law and Justice / National Resources / Climate Change and Water
9. Muhammad Ali — Energy and Power / Petroleum
10. Gohar Ejaz — Commerce/ Textile / Industries / Production
11. Umar Saif — Information Technology and Telecommunication /Science and Technology
12. Nadeem Jan — National Health Services, Regulation and Control
13. Khalil George — National Health Services, Regulation and Control
14. Aneeq Ahmad — Religious Affairs/ Hajj/ Interfaith Harmony
15. Jamal Shah — National Heritage and Culture
16. Madad Ali Sindhi — Federal Education / National Harmony / Youth Affairs

Advisers to PM

1. Air Marshal (retd) Farhat Hussain Khan — Aviation
2. Ahad Khan Cheema — Establishment
3. Waqar Masood Khan — Finance

Special Advisors

1. Mishal Hussain Malik — Human Rights / Women Empowerment
2. Jawad Sohrab Malik — Overseas
3. Vice Admiral (retd) Iftikhar Rao — Maritime Affairs
4. Wasih Shah — Tourism
5. Dr Jehanzeb Khan — Govt Effectiveness / SIFC Syeda Arifa Zehra — Education and National Harmony Affairs