Minister without portfolio Akbar Ayub finally gets C&W

PESHAWAR: Haripur lawmaker Akbar Ayub Khan had his eye on the communication and works portfolio before the formation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cabinet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and he got it after being kept waiting for a few days.

Akbar Ayub Khan, the grandson of late President of Pakistan, Mohammad Ayub Khan, also held this portfolio in the previous PTI government. However, he was advisor to the chief minister on communication and works at the time. Now he has become a full-fledged minister in control of the prized communication and works portfolio.

It is unclear as to why Akbar Ayub was initially named as minister without portfolio. It is possible the PTI leadership, including Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, had someone else in mind to become the communication and works minister and give some other portfolio to Akbar Ayub. However, they finally gave this portfolio to Akbar Ayub, who is politically influential. He retained his KP Assembly seat, PK-50 Haripur in the July 25 general election.

The communication and works portfolio is much sought after by ministers. Important politicians in the ruling parties often manage to get this lucrative ministry.

Akbar Ayub, who is a businessman, had a lucky break when his brother Yousaf Ayub Khan, a former provincial minister, was disqualified as an MPA after the May 2013 general election due to objection on his educational degree. As the seat became vacant, a by-election was held on PK-50 Haripur and Akbar Ayub was fielded by the family in place of Yousaf Ayub. He won the seat and hasn’t looked back since then.