ISLAMABAD: Two-thirds of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s federal team, sworn in yesterday, has made it to the federal cabinet for the first time while it does not include the ever eager JUI of Maulana Fazlur Rehman yet contains a few leading members of Pervez Musharraf’s squad and four unelected members.
Unelected members of the cabinet include Shujaat Azim, Tariq Fatami, Sartaj Aziz and Amir Muqam. Aging veteran Sartaj Aziz, who remained politically inactive during Musharraf’s time, is National Security Adviser.
Enginer Amir Muqam, who faced defeat on May 11 despite working hard in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the PML-N, was made an adviser. Captain Shujaat Azim, nominated as adviser on aviation, is the brother of former Senator Tariq Azim and had flown the plane of Lebanese leader Rafiq Hariri. Tariq Fatami was made special assistant to prime minister. Zahid Hamid remained Musharraf’s law minister. Sikandar Bosan, a powerful rival of Yusuf Raza Gilani in Multan, was also minister during Musharraf’s time.
Highly experienced hands like Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Senator Ishaq Dar grace the cabinet. Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, heads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Balochistan, was named as special assistant to Nawaz Sharif.
The first-timers dominate Nawaz Sharif’s team, which has conspicuous presence of those who were physically or mentally tortured or faced prolonged imprisonments and inhuman persecution during Musharraf’s era, but stood loyal to the PML-N.
Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Pervez Rashid and Chaudhry Nisar are noteworthy old timers in this connection. Punjab, which gave a heavy mandate to the PML-N, clinched large representation in the cabinet followed by Sindh, Balochistan and KP.
Sardar Yousuf’s son Shahjehan was minister in the last cabinet. Usman Ibrahim was then associated with the PML-Q. Riaz Pirzada, affiliated with the PML-Q, was minister in the last cabinet. He joined the PML-N shortly before the May 11 polls.
The first-timers in the cabinet include Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanvir, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Sardar Yusuf, Pervez Rashid, Barjees Tahir, Kamran Micheal, Mian Balighur Rehman’ Usman Ibrahim’ Khurram Dastagir, Sheikh Aftab, Abdul Hakeem Baloch’ Saira Afzal Tarar’ Anusha Rehman, and Pir Aminul Hasnat.
Two female ministers - Anusha Rehman and Saira Afzal Tarar - are staunchly committed to the PML-N since long. Rehman is a hardworking and down-to-earth lady. Tarar is the daughter-in-law of former President Rafiq Tarar.
Khawaja Asif, Saad Rafiq, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanvir, Barjees Tahir, Khurram Dastagir, Sheikh Aftab, Abbasi and Abdul Qadir Baloch stood with the PML-N in rain and shine.
Internews
