ISLAMABAD: Eighteen member interim federal cabinet took oath in first phase of formation of the government on Thursday.
18 ministers have taken oath of their office in a ceremony held at Aiwan e Sadr (Presidetial Palace) as President Arif Alvi administered oath to the caretaker cabinet.
The cabinet also includes seven special assistants to the prime minister. The oath ceremony was attended by many important personalities, including caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar.
The interim federal cabinet is as follows:
Senator Sarfaraz Bugti interior minister
Dr Shamshad Akhtar finance minister
Dr Umar Saif minister for IT and telecom
Journalist Murtaza Solangi information and broadcasting minister
Shahid Ashraf Tarar postal services minister
Retd Lt Gen Anwar Ali Haider defence minister
Jalil Abbas Jilani foreign affairs minister
Dr Nadeem Jan health minister
Actor Jamal Shah culture minister
Aneeq Ahmed religious affairs minister
Mushaal Malik has been announced as the special assistant to the PM on human rights.
On the other hand, Gohar Ijaz, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Ahmed Irfan and Irfan Ahmed Aslam are also among those who have taken oath as ministers in the interim cabinet.
Dr Saif has been the chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board. He has also received several international awards in the field of technology. Solangi has previously served as the director general of Radio Pakistan. Bugti has previously served as the home minister of Balochistan and Dr Akhtar the governor of State Bank of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said that the caretaker government will assiduously work to facilitate free and fair election in the country.
In a tweet, he thanked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for his good wishes.
The caretaker PM said the government places importance on partnership with the United States and deeply values the shared commitment to economic prosperity, democracy and stability in the region.
The caretaker premier also spoke to PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain over the phone and inquired after him. Kakar also sought guidance from Shujaat on political affairs.
The PML-Q president hoped there is economic development during the caretaker set-up under PM Kakar. He also advised Kakar to take all political powers on board to solve the country’s problems.
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