Ministers, advisers allotted portfolios in KP

PESHAWAR: After recent reshuffle in the cabinet, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Thursday allotted portfolios to the ministers, advisors and special assistants, with assigning Mohammad Atif Khan two different ministries, including food and science and information technology.
The chief minister had reshuffled the cabinet a month ago and replaced some of the members, reportedly owing to poor performance.
According to a notification, Fazle Shakoor Khan has been appointed as minister of law and parliamentary affairs and human rights.
He is the new face in the cabinet. Belonging to Charsadda, Fazle Shakoor Khan was elected an MPA on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket.
Before him another PTI MPA from Charsadda, Sultan Mohammad Khan held this portfolio, but he was sacked on charges of selling his vote during the Senate election.
Another MPA Shakeel Ahmad Khan was again brought to the cabinet and given to him the portfolio of public health engineering.
Shakeel Ahmad Khan belongs to Dargai in Malakand district and is stated to be a popular leader among the PTI workers.
He was minister of revenue when sacked by the chief minister along with Shahram Khan Tarakai and Muhammad Atif Khan on disciplinary charges.
Shahram Tarakai was the first to settle his issues with the chief minister and was made minister of secondary and elementary education.
The second to resolve his dispute with the chief minister was Atif Khan. They first met at the Governor’s House in Peshawar as Governor Shah Farman had played a role in resolving issues between Atif Khan and Mahmood Khan.
Then they were called by Prime Minister Imran Khan to Islamabad and advised to work together and serve the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was at the same meeting when PM Imran Khan made it clear that Mahmood Khan was his nominee and he had the authority to choose his team.
Shakeel Ahmad met the chief minister later and he was lucky to have been added to the cabinet and allotted an important ministry.
MPA from Nowshera district Khaliqur Rahman was previously advisor to the chief minister on higher education. He will again work as advisor to the chief minister but this time he will look after the Excise and Taxation Department.
He replaced Ghazan Jamal, son of an elderly former parliamentarian Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal, commonly known as GG Jamal.
The young Ghazan Jamal was elected from his native Orakzai tribal district and was made advisor to the chief minister. He is stated to be a hardworking, professional and honest lawmaker, but some powerful government officials, known for their corrupt practices, didn’t cooperate with him in the excise and taxation department.
Interestingly, Ghazan Jamal never complained and focused on introducing reforms in his department that finally led to his removal from job.
Taj Mohammad Tarand will work as special assistant to the chief minister on power and energy.
MPA Shafiullah Khan from Dir who previously served as special assistant to the chief minister on anti-corruption establishment will now look after the prisons department.
The ministers, advisors and special assistants had sworn in their oaths almost a month ago but were made to wait for their respective portfolios. According to sources, some of the cabinet members were using their influence to get portfolios of their choice but they could not succeed.
There were speculations that Atif Khan was likely to be allotted health, but according to senior PTI leaders close to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Nausherwan Burki took stand on Taimur Khan Jhagra and thus he retained the important position of health.
Taimur Jhagra was minister of finance when he was allocated health as an additional responsibility after former health minister Shahram Tarakai was removed.
Taimur Jhagra took keen interest in health particularly after the corona pandemic and the way he handled issues, it impressed Dr Nausherwan Burki.
Another reason that reportedly could have convinced Dr Burki to help Taimur Jhagra to continue as health minister was his first portfolio of finance. According to people close to Dr Burki, Taimur Jhagra being minister of finance will easily sanction funds needed to import projects in health.
Taimur Jhagra is the son of former bureaucrat Saleem Jhagra.
He was secretary health when former chief minister Mehtab Ahmad Khan had launched health reforms in the province. Saleem Jhagra had developed differences with leaders of different associations of the doctors on issues related to the health sector. Some of the senior doctors were then arrested and sent to jails in remote areas.
Taimur Jhagra is reportedly seeking guidance from his father about health issues.
According to PTI leaders, it was once decided that Taimur will surrender health and remain finance minister. The party leadership wanted to allot it to Atif Khan but then again the idea was changed after Dr Burki got involved.
However, sources close to the prime minister told The News that Taimur Jhagra is most likely to surrender his responsibility to the finance ministry after the forthcoming annual budget.
According to sources, most of the cabinet members had struggled for health and irrigation departments. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan held irrigation with himself.
Also, there is another major reshuffle in the cabinet after the budget and two or three ministers are likely to lose their jobs.