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Monday May 06, 2024

Aurangzeb will have limited role if made adviser to PM

According to a court decision, non-elected advisers or special assistants cannot head a committee of the cabinet

By Rana Ghulam Qadir
March 11, 2024
This screengrab taken on March 5, 2024, from Pakistan Expo 2020’s YouTube video posted on October 5, 2021, shows Muhammad Aurangzeb speaking about investment opportunities. — YouTube/PakistanExpo
This screengrab taken on March 5, 2024, from Pakistan Expo 2020’s YouTube video posted on October 5, 2021, shows Muhammad Aurangzeb speaking about investment opportunities. — YouTube/PakistanExpo

ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Aurangzeb’s role in financial decision-making will be limited if he is made an adviser to the prime minister on finance or a special assistant.

According to a court decision, non-elected advisers or special assistants cannot head a committee of the cabinet. They cannot be made members of a cabinet committee either.

Only a member of parliament can become a federal minister. The prime minister, however, can appoint an unelected person a minister for six months. In such a case, one has to become a member of parliament within six months. The prime minister can chair the cabinet committee himself or can make any minister co-chairman. In the previous coalition government, there were no advisers or special assistants heading the cabinet committees. They were invited to the meetings on special invitation.