Unelected ministers to head 3 cabinet panels

ISLAMABAD: The incumbent elected government has appointed the non-elected members of the federal cabinet as chairmen of three newly-formed committees of the Cabinet.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has been made Chairman of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises, while retired senator and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is heading Cabinet Committee on Privatization.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is also member of three Cabinet committees on Privatization, Chinese Investment Projects and Energy.

Similarly Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema is member of four Cabinet committees, while Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik is member of three Cabinet committees.

They are non-elected members of the Federal Cabinet but are chairmen or members of Cabinet committees by virtue of Cabinet members.

At present, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema are non-elected members of the Federal Cabinet as per Constitutional provision.

The prime minister can appoint any non-elected person as Cabinet member for a period of six months. All the non-elected members of the incumbent government are certain to be elected senators next month.