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ISLAMABAD: Three members of Prime Minister Imran Khan's kitchen cabinet have gained more important portfolios during the last two years while three have been given less important portfolios and at least six members of Premier's initial team are no longer part of his federal cabinet.

Asad Umar, who held the important Finance portfolio in PM's 21-member initial cabinet that has now swelled to 51, was dismissed after eight months amid speculation that Jehangir Tareen had used his influence to replace him with Hafeez Sheikh.

Umar refused the offer of the less important Ministry of Energy with the Prime Minister publicly declaring that he wanted Umar back in the cabinet.

In November 2019, Umar was back in cabinet with the important portfolio of Planning Minister. Today, Umar is regarded as one of most important members of the cabinet as the head of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), spearheading government's battle against COVID-19 and chair of the powerful Cabinet Committee on Energy.

Since the departure of Tareen from his position of influence, Umar is also nominated by the Prime Minister to undertake politically challenging negotiations including with the opposition.

Federal Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar is another member of federal cabinet whose portfolio has improved.

Azhar was inducted in the federal cabinet in September 2018 as Minister of State for Revenue. He was made federal minister in April 2019 and assigned Economic Affairs Division. Then he was given the portfolio of Ministry of Industries and Production. He has shown a willingness to attend press conferences led by the finance minister.

Azhar presented federal budgets 2019-20 and 2020-21 as Hafeez Sheikh was not constitutionally eligible to address the National Assembly.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is one of few leaders outside PTI who enjoy the Prime Minister's trust in spite of dozens of rail accidents since he took over the railways ministry. In the cabinet's reshuffle last week, Rashid was elevated to the position of Interior Minister, a position he had coveted since 2018.

Three ministers have been given less important portfolios during the Khan administration. Khusro Bakhtyar who began his journey in federal cabinet as Planning Minister but was replaced by Asad Umar in November last year. Bakhtyar was then given the National Food Security Ministry. However, in April this year, PM replaced Bakhtyar with Fakhar Imam after Bakhtyar's name surfaced in sugar crisis scandal. He was then appointed Economic Affairs Minister though, unlike Hammad Azhar, he does not attend press conferences led by Hafeez Sheikh. . Ghulam Sarwar Khan joined federal cabinet after defeating Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on two National Assembly seats in 2018 general elections. Khan was assigned the extremely important portfolio of Federal Petroleum Minister but, in a cabinet reshuffle in April 2019, he was made Aviation Minister.

Brigadier Ijaz Shah (Retd) enjoyed the position of Interior Minister since PTI government came into power. Shah earned much importance due to his military background and previous record of having served on highly important security slots during Musharraf era. But questions were raised on his performance as Interior Minister in the Khan administration and, he was assigned Narcotics Control Ministry.

Out of six cabinet members who were removed from their government positions, three were sacked or made to resign on corruption allegations. These include former federal health minister Amir Kayani, former special assistant to prime minister (SAPM) on health Dr Zafar Mirza and former SAPM on media affairs Iftikhar Durrani. Despite his removal, Kayani is still regarded as PM's trusted aide. This can be gauged from the fact that just three months after his removal from cabinet in April last year, he was appointed as ruling party's Secretary General despite serious allegations of corruption against him and a related inquiry initiated by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) relating to him and Mirza.

One former cabinet member, Tania Aidrus had to step down as SAPM on Digital Pakistan on charge of conflict of interest in the aftermath of allegations of running a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

Yousaf Baig Mirza, who served as SAPM on Media Affairs, also quit the cabinet last year and has yet to take any other government position.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stepped down as Federal Information Technology Minister in April last year, saying he had concerns over federal government's unmet promises regarding development in Karachi.

Two former SAPMs on information; Firdous Ashiq Awan and Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa (r), are no longer part of federal cabinet but hold important positions in PTI government. Bajwa is Chairman CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) Authority and Awan is Chief Minister Punjab's Special Assistant on Information.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

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