BY TAHIR MEHMOOD
In yet another major cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday replaced Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar with PTI leader Syed Fakhar Imam as Federal Minister for National Food Security.
Bakhtiar has instead been given the charge of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Bakhtiar has replaced Hammad Azhar, who has been made the Federal Minister for Industries. MQM’s Amin ul Haq has been appointed as Federal Minister for Telecom and Azam Swati Federal Minister for Narcotics Control.
The reshuffle came on the heels of making public an inquiry report about sugar and flour scams that, according to the critics, has dent popularity and credibility of the PTI government in terms of transparency.
Federal Investigation Agency team mentioned names of the beneficiaries of subsidies obtained by the industry’s bigwigs and named Khusro Bakhtiar, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen among the beneficiaries. Besides some other shuffles, the PM also removed Tareen as the chairperson of the task force on agriculture ‘in light of findings of sugar and wheat inquiry report’.
The opponents of the ruling party were not expecting, though they demanded intensely, that the government would set aside political expediency and make public contents of the inquiry report as it come.
The decision of cabinet reshuffle and particularly removal of Tareen might have taken some by surprise, though for those who know Imran Khan, there could have been nothing that might have made Khan to go for a political expediency.
No doubt it was a difficult decision to remove one of his close aides particularly when the party is under immense pressure from the opposition parties on the issue of relief efforts in the wake of Coronavirus spread. Yet the decision was taken and the credit goes to the PM.
The report has also unveiled the cracks within the ruling party. Tareen on Monday tweeted, saying that he was never appointed as the chairperson of the task force. “Pl get your facts right people,” he wrote in the tweet. He also accused principal secretary to the PM for hatching conspiracy against him.
On the other hand, Special Assistant on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar has assured stern action against those found involved in the crises irrespective of their status and party affiliation.
The things are entering in an interesting phase with the PM coming harsh on those have had an eye on public money and the opposition expecting a debacle. There seems to be a new start.
The history of the country is replete with instances of political expediencies when it comes to taking action against the looters. Subsequent leaders compromised on public interest and opted for momentary benefits.
The nation hopes that those minted money through the scams would be dealt with an iron hand so that no one in the future dares to swindle public money.
If someone thinks that PM Imran Khan’s actions are causing loss to his own party, the nation assures the PM that the party loss is in nation’s interest which he has been yearning for since over two decades.
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