ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's appointment as deputy prime minister has raised many questions.
The notification issued by the Cabinet Division did not refer to the Constitution, rules or any law under which the appointment was made.
This has raised question as to under what authority Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif nominated Ishaq Dar as deputy prime minister.
According to sources, it seems from the language of the notification that the rules for the deputy prime minister have not been made as yet, which prompts queries on what legal basis the deputy prime minister was nominated?
Similarly, the notification does not clarify what would be the powers of the deputy prime minister.
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Government sources said the deputy prime minister would not be authorised to exercise the powers of the prime minister and the position would be largely symbolic. There is a precedent of nominating deputy prime minister in Pakistan.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was made the deputy prime minister during the PPP era.
It should be noted that after approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, foreign minister Ishaq Dar was appointed deputy prime minister on Sunday, which was officially notified by the Cabinet Division.
Dar is the fourth deputy prime minister of Pakistan. Earlier, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Parvez Elahi were appointed deputy prime ministers.