Cabinet changed to deal with PDM

ISLAMABAD: In the fourth ministerial shake-up in less than three years, the president, on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Friday appointed Shaikh Rashid Ahmad as the interior minister to handle the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) anti-government movement.

PM’s Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has been named as Finance Minister, Interior Minister Brig (retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah replaced Senator Azam Swati as minister for narcotics control, who will now be heading the Ministry of Railways, which was earlier led by Shaikh Rashid since 2018.

The reshuffle comes on the heels of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head government committees. The court had set aside a notification of the cabinet committee on privatisation, headed by Dr Shaikh.

Later in the day, Shaikh Rashid Ahmad and Azam Swati met the prime minister separately. Sources said the new interior minister was issued instructions regarding future strategy.

According to Geo News, following the appointment, the premier discussed opposition’s resignations, long march and the upcoming PDM rally in Lahore being hosted by PML-N tomorrow (Sunday).

Sources said Imran Khan has tasked the newly-appointed interior minister to deal with the PDM. Shaikh Rashid said that he will do his utmost to meet the expectations of the prime minister.

Though, speculations were rife for the last few months regarding likely changes in the federal cabinet, the move came in the wake of the court judgement. Before or after the Senate elections, some more ministerial adjustments could not be ruled out, as per the insiders.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had said the government would honour the court judgement and find out a way forward. Though Dr Shaikh is not an elected member of the Parliament, according to Article 91 (9) of the Constitution, a person, who is not member of the Parliament, can be made a minister for six months.

However, Dr Shaikh, who was administered the oath of his office by President Dr Arif Alvi earlier in the day, can remain minister for more than six months in view of the Senate election due in early March. The ruling PTI will be in a position to pocket sizeable number of seats in the Upper House of the Parliament in the upcoming Senate polls.

According to the Cabinet Division notification, the president, on the advice of prime minister, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause 1 of the Article 92, read with Article 91 (9) of the Constitution, has been pleased to appoint Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as a federal minister. He will hold the portfolio of finance, as allocated by prime minister in terms of rule 3 (4) of the Rules of Business, 1973, who has been administered the oath of office by the president. “Consequent upon his appointment, he shall cease to hold the office of adviser to PM on finance and revenue.”

Earlier, a major shake-up happened in April 2019: less than a year after the PTI came to power; when Dr Shaikh was appointed as an adviser to the prime minister on finance after the resignation of PTI MNA Asad Umar. The PM had appointed Ijaz Shah as the interior minister and inducted Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as a special assistant on information and broadcasting, besides some other adjustments.

The second reshuffle came six months later in Nov 2019, when Asad Umar was made planning minister, while Khusro Bakhtiar was appointed as minister for economic affairs. The reshuffle came two days after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team released reports on the sugar crisis and beneficiaries of subsidies, obtained by the industry's bigwigs.

Then again, earlier this year, the prime minister sent Dr Firdous Awan packing and replaced her with Lt Gen (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa as his special assistant. Leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Faraz was appointed as federal information minister. Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem was subsequently made leader of the house in the Senate.

In his first press conference after being appointed minister for interior, Shaikh Rashid lambasted the PDM and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is not going anywhere, not in the least with a "copied" Minar-e-Pakistan rally, and the opposition is free to fulfil its desire of holding rallies.

Shaikh Rashid said that if the opposition has deluded itself into thinking that they will be able to "copy Imran Khan" and hold a massive rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, "they must know that Imran Khan was blessed and rose to the top, whereas the Minar-e-Pakistan rally will only be the political downfall of the opposition".

He claimed that if this is the sort of the opposition that will go to the elections next term, Imran Khan will emerge the victor once again. The minister said that if the opposition wishes to "march to Islamabad", they are welcome.

"We, too, staged a sit-in here for 126 days. It made no difference whatsoever," he said, also criticising the choice of winter months for a protest. Shaikh Rashid said for the sake of "saving their children" the leaders of opposition parties sought nationalities of other countries. "When your own children cry (injustice), you are pained to see that, but when the child of a poor man is ill with the virus, it is (but the mere inconvenience of) a headache for you," he said to the opposition.

"You are mistaken if you think Imran Khan will go away due to your rallies. He is going nowhere," he said, adding that they have full permission to hold rallies if they wish so.

Shaikh Rashid said that the container issue in Multan "will not be a problem this time", referring to the administration's attempts to block the paths leading to the Multan rally venue — the Kila Kohna Qasim Bagh Stadium — which the opposition forcibly tried to remove with cranes.

"A true politician is one who gives the call for a rally. He does not go from street to street to distribute invitation cards," he said, in a jibe at the PML-N's mass contact campaign ahead of the Lahore rally.

Sheikh Rashid said any efforts to bring down Pakistan's economy will fail. He also declared that he, as interior minister, stands behind "all Islamic forces" and "will be their voice". "All our madrassas stand as the pillars of Islam," he added.

The minister said that there is no danger to Pakistan from the borders due to our valiant soldiers stationed there. "This country is at risk from factors at play within. There is foreign investment being made in the country so chaos can spread and those who are doing so will fail," he said.

Shaikh Rashid said that as interior minister it is his solemn vow to instate the rule of law and the Constitution. "The era of looting and money laundering will be brought to an end." He promised to bring the latest border management system to Pakistan, passport facility to the poor and an improved immigration system.

"I will bring law and order to all four provinces," he said. He criticised the opposition for creating hurdles in the way of "the politics of truth".

"They say they will not speak to the prime minister. Then whom do you wish to speak to?" he asked, before adding: "They only wish to save their ill-gotten wealth and rid themselves of cases."

In a cryptic message before wrapping up his address, he said: "On December 14, 15, 16 we will bring good news for Prime Minister Imran Khan. There will be nothing but success for the government and failure for this lot."