As soon as they got a go-ahead, majority of the cabinet members rushed to the offices to receive briefings, suggesting they were waiting to start work to ‘give relief to the people’. The ministers vowed to work at the pace of ‘Shehbaz Speed’ as the staff welcomed them at their respective offices.
Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Ehsan Ur Rahman Mazari vowed to work vigorously to resolve all the pending inter-provincial matters, delayed due to what he viewed as the incompetence of the PTI’s government. “This newly formed coalition government has no other options but to deliver in the remaining period of the incumbent government,” said Ehsan Ur Rahman Mazari as he exclusively talked to The Nation. Hailing from Kashmore [Sind], Mazari has taken oath as Minister for IPC in the newly formed federal cabinet. The minister said that the IPC ministry would leave no stone unturned to settle the matters related to water distribution among the provinces. “It would be my priority to play my part in regularly holding the meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI),” said the minister, adding, the ministry has the scope and capacity to engage all the provinces and bring them on the same page. Ehsan ur Rahman Mazari was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) from the constituency of Kashmore.
On the first day after taking oath of his office, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan vowed to go tough on violators of law, but at the same time added that there would be no more political victimisation on part of the coalition government. The Ministry of Interior also swung into action after remaining almost dysfunctional for over two weeks soon after the cabinet members of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took oath of office.
Rana Sanaullah, while talking to reporters soon after being sworn in, gave an indirect reference to the alleged reports that former prime minister Imran Khan had purchased a costly watch from Toshakhana (state gift depository) at nominal rates and sold the same at a higher price in Dubai, and added that the violators of law would now find their place in jail. He said that his government would neither take any revengeful action against former prime minister Khan nor register a case against him, but investigation would be held first if any case of corruption was found against him. Sanaullah underlined that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman has been granted foolproof security on the directives of PM Shehbaz. He added that they had received no threat regarding Khan’s life. He said that it was the right of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to get a diplomatic passport and the same will be issued to him. “It is unfortunate that a person who had been the country’s prime minister thrice is being deprived of national citizenship,” he added.
The interior minister urged that the government would regulate social media as the right to freedom of expression in a legitimate way. He added that the government had no intention to ban social media. He said that state institutions should not be maligned into unnecessary debates so that their sacrifices should not go in vain. He vowed that the new government would bring reforms into all institutions including the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Referring to his drugs case initiated by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) against him, the minister said that an investigation would be launched into the registration of fake case.
Soon after taking oath as Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative, Prof Ahsan Iqbal joined the ministry where he received warm welcome from the Ministry of Planning officials. The minister seemed much more enthusiastic towards his work and soon after sitting in the office, chalked out a schedule of meetings with Planning Secretary Abdul Aziz Aqeeli.
Ahsan Iqbal directed the Ministry of Planning secretary to convene a full review meeting on PSDP while the review meeting on the progress of CPEC has also been scheduled for Wednesday (today). Later, Ahsan Iqbal rushed to NUST and at the end of the day; he received a briefing on the PSDP.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Miftah Ismail assumed the charge amid deteriorating economic situation of the country as pressure is exerting on the fiscal as well as external sector of the economy. Miftah Ismail has become finance minister for the second time. Ismail is not an elected member of the parliament, but the Constitution allows the government to appoint a federal minister for a period of six months. Ismail chaired an introductory meeting with the officials. Senior officials of the ministry of finance briefed the finance minister on the affairs of the ministry. He was informed that current account and budget deficits would be recorded at historic highest level this year due to the economic policies of the PTI led government. Miftah has already expressed concerns over the twin deficits. Budget deficit is expected to touch Rs6400 billion. He further said that the primary deficit, excluding interest payment, would also touch Rs1650 billion. He informed that the trade deficit would also make a new record by touching $45 billion in FY22, which would push the current account deficit to $20 billion. However, Miftah said that the new government would take measures to improve the economic situation of the country.
On the first day, the finance minister also called a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet to consider reimbursement of price differential claims (PDCs) of oil marketing companies and refineries. Later, Embassy of People’s Republic of China’s Charge de Affaires, Pangchunxue called on the federal minister at the Finance Division.
The Ministry of Housing and Works and the Ministry of Communications have been assigned to Moulana Abdul Wasy and Moulana Asad Mehmood of Jamiat Ulema Islam respectively. Moulana Abdu Wasy did not come to his office on Tuesday after taking oath; however Moulana Asad Mehmood visited the ministry briefly and was introduced to the staff. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad will be made Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Establishment, but there is no formal notification in this regard so far.