South China Morning Post
Advertisement
Advertisement
Pakistan
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, centre left, administers the oath from federal ministers as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, centre right, watches during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday. Photo: Pakistan’s President Office via AP
AsiaSouth Asia

Pakistan swears in newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s 19-member cabinet

  • Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath of office to the ministers at the presidential office in the capital Islamabad on Monday
  • Sharif held the position of prime minister from April 2022 to August 2023, when he replaced arch-rival Imran Khan
Pakistan
Associated Press
Associated Press
Why you can trust SCMP
The 19-member cabinet of Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was sworn into office on Monday and held its first meeting. The prime minister appointed several top government posts and promised to tackle the country’s unrelenting economic crisis.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath of office to the ministers at the presidential office in the capital of Islamabad, with Sharif there. Sharif was elected as prime minister by the parliament on Sunday, a month after parliamentary elections and after his Pakistan Muslim League-N party formed a coalition with several allies.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administers the oath of office to President Asif Ali Zardari while PM Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing president Arif Alvi attend the event at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad on Monday. Photo: Press Information Department (PID) / Handout via Reuters

Sharif held the same position from April 2022 to August 2023, when he replaced arch-rival Imran Khan, a former cricket star turned Islamist politician who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.

Sharif’s new government faces daunting challenges, including an unprecedented economic crisis, regular power cuts, near-daily militant attacks and a challenging relationship with neighbouring Taliban-run Afghanistan.
In televised remarks, Sharif vowed to improve the country’s economy and contain rising inflation and halt price hikes during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. Ramadan for most Muslim countries started on Monday.

Sharif appointed lawmaker Ishaq Dar as foreign minister and reappointed Khawaja Mohammad Asif as defence minister. Mohsin Naqvi, who served as caretaker chief minister in the eastern Punjab province, was appointed interior minister while Attaullah Tarar was named information minister.

Pakistan elects Asif Ali Zardari as president for second time

The post of finance minister went to Muhammad Aurangzeb. The minister for climate change is yet to be selected from among the remaining ministers.

Zardari was appointed president on Saturday by the newly elected parliament. His office is mostly a ceremonial role and he is Sharif’s main ally. However, no one from his Pakistan People’s Party has been appointed to the cabinet. Zardari’s son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was foreign minister during Sharif’s previous stint as premier.

On Sunday, police detained dozens of Khan’s supporters while protesting against alleged rigging in last month’s parliamentary elections, which the ousted politician’s party claimed was aimed at blocking it from getting a majority. Election officials have denied the charge.

Post