According to an official announcement by the Prime Minister Office, four new members will be added to the federal cabinet will be former Senate chairman Muhammed Mian Soomro, acting secretary general of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, MNA from Haripur Umar Ayub Khan, and lastly, loyal PTI worker Murad Saeed.
The finalisation of the federal cabinet has proven to be a long, worn-out process instead of a simple one-time announcement. When the initial ministers were announced last month, there was criticism over the non-inclusion of some prominent party members, and the no-show of an Interior Minister. It appears that the whispers got to the government, which after a few weeks chose an Interior Minister in Sheheryar Afridi. While that may have looked like a full stop to the federal cabinet, it apparently was not, as we found out yesterday with the addition of further four ministers.
Thus, the overall process, with so many hesitations and uncertainties, gives the impression of non-cohesion and lack of planning. Even now, Murad Saeed has been made a minister but has not yet been designated a portfolio, indicating that he was not chosen with his appropriate post in mind. It does not seem like the right person is being chosen for the job, rather the post is being adjusted for the right people, which although legal, does not seem based on merit. Couple that with the fact that most of the chosen ministers are the same old faces that were in Musharraf’s cabinet, does not give a great impression of a cabinet which will pioneer Naya Pakistan.
Let us hope our misgivings about this process are unfounded, and the government demonstrates a smooth plan for the ministers to follow, which will result in good progress of the country. Right now, however, it seems rather haphazard and unplanned.