Shamshad Akhtar, Gohar Ijaz likely to get key positions in federal cabinet
Pakistan
Dr Tabish Gohar will look after the energy portfolio
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News/Web Desk) – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar is set to announce the federal cabinet shortly.
Sources told Dunya News that Shamshad Akhtar had been selected for the key position of finance minister. Gohar Ijaz has been named as minister for trade and commerce while Dr Tabish Gohar will have energy portfolio.
A formal decision to the effect would be announced shortly, said sources.
Earlier development
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has more or less finalised the names for his cabinet, sources say, as both Hafeez Shaikh and Reza Baqir are not among the candidates being considered for the coveted finance minister slot.
Ex-finance minister Shaikh and former State Bank governor Baqir were in the office at the same time when the current economic crisis started surfacing which later pushed the inflation and the interest rates to the all-time high levels.
The sources say Sultan Ali Allana – a renowned banker currently serving as the Habib Bank chairman and a director at the Aga Khan Fund for Development – had been picked yesterday (Tuesday) for managing the ministry in the current turbulent period.
However, things changed when his dual nationality came to light.
Hence, two other names are now under consideration for the caretaker finance minister as the new cabinet can be announced today (Wednesday) and the oath taking to take place tomorrow. Kakar is, therefore, in the final phase of consultations to complete the process.
According to the sources, Jalil Abbas Jilani – a former foreign secretary and ambassador to the United States – is expected to be the minister for foreign affairs while Syed Muhammad Ali – not Muhammad Ali Durrani as suggested by some circles – will run the affairs of information ministry.
On the other hand, it is predicted that Senator Safraz Bugti – the former Balochistan home minister – would be chosen as the interior minister in the caretaker setup.
