Ishaq Dar, a four-time former finance minister, has been appointed as Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, as the new government settled in to tackle myriad problems at the domestic and external fronts, including its relations with India and other neighbours.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday inducted 19 members into his Cabinet, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation in the cash-strapped country.
Dar, is a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslin League-Nawaz (PML-N). He is also a confidant of the party head and former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif.
With little experience in managing foreign affairs, he has been given the important portfolio when Pakistan’s ties with its neighbour India as well as Afghanistan are at their lowest ebb. Pakistan has suffered due to a hiatus in trade as it used to import several items and raw materials at cheaper rates from India.
Meanwhile, the information ministry in a statement elaborated on the various portfolios assigned to other ministers.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif was appointed as minister for defence, defence production and aviation, Ahsan Iqbal as minister for planning, development and special initiatives, Azam Nazeer Tarar law and justice, human rights, Attaullah Tarar as minister of information and broadcasting, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh as minister for maritime affairs and Muhammad Aurangzeb as minister of finance, revenue. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the only woman minister, was appointed as minister of state.
