ISLAMABAD: A six-member caretaker cabinet took the oath on Tuesday to run the day-to-day affairs of the interim government.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to the cabinet members. Caretaker Prime Minister retired Justice Nasirul Mulk was present at the oath-taking ceremony held at the presidency.

The six-member cabinet comprises former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Dr Shamshad Akhtar, senior lawyer Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, former ambassador of Pakistan to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon, educationist Muhammad Yusuf Shaikh, educationist and human rights expert Roshan Khursheed Bharucha and former federal secretary Azam Khan.

Two out of six members of the cabinet have also served during the tenure of former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharaf: Dr Akhtar as SBP governor and Ms Bharucha as senator.

Besides running the affairs of the interim set-up, the cabinet members will also assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding fair and free elections in the country.

It is expected that more members will be inducted into the cabinet in the coming days.

Two women among federal ministers, both of whom worked during Musharraf regime

Following the oath-taking ceremony, portfolios were given to the ministers.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister Office, Dr Akhtar has been given finance, revenue and economic affairs. Ministries of statistics and planning, development and reforms will work under her supervision. She has also been given portfolios of the ministries of commerce and textile and industries and production.

Mr Haroon will serve as Minister for Foreign Affairs and National Security Division. He will also head ministries of defence and defence production.

Mr Azam Khan has been made Minister for Interior, Capital Administration & Development Division and Narcotics Control. He will also be the in-charge of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

Barrister Zafar has been given the subjects of law and justice, parliamentary affairs, information, broadcasting, national history and literary heritage.

Mr Shaikh has been given the subjects of education and professional training. He will also have the additional portfolios of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination; and Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony.

Ms Bharucha will be the in-charge of the Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan and Ministry of States and Frontier Regions.

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Dr Shamshad Akhtar has served as SBP governor, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and 10th executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. She has also served as the coordinator of five UN regional commissions.

She won two consecutive awards as Asia’s Best Central Bank Governor from Emerging Markets and from the Banker’s Trust.

In 2008, The Wall Street Journal Asia also recognised her as one of Asia’s top 10 professional women.

Dr Akhtar has served as vice president of the Middle East and North Africa Region of the World Bank. In this role, she spearheaded the bank’s response to the Arab Spring as well as the Arab regional integration strategy and its implementation. She has served in the Asian Development Bank for almost 15 years.

A post-doctoral US Fulbright Fellow at Harvard University, Dr Akhtar holds a PhD in economics and a master degree in development economics from the UK, and an M.Sc in economics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Barrister Syed Ali Zafar remained the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association from 2015 to 2016 and the president of the Pakistan chapter of SAARC Law.

He completed his LLB from London School of Economics & Political Science in 1983 and got the degree of Barrister-at-Law from England & Wales in 1984.

Mr Zafar is the chairman of Cultural Association of Pakistan Graduates, vice president of Human Rights Organisation of Pakistan and had acted as arbitrator in various international arbitrations under the auspices of various bodies, including International Chambers of Commerce and the London Court of International Arbitration.

Abdullah Hussain Haroon served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN from September 2008 to December 2012.

Born on Oct 21, 1950, Mr Haroon is the son of Saeed Haroon, elder brother of Hameed Haroon and grandson of Sir Abdullah Haroon. He is a renowned businessman, social activist and a former speaker of the Sindh Assembly.

He attended Karachi Grammar School and completed his higher education from the University of Karachi.

Mr Hussain started his early career in public service as the election coordinator for Pakistan Muslim League in 1970. Later, he was appointed as a councillor, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (1979–1985). He remained a member of the Sindh Assembly from1985 to 1988 and a trustee of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) from 1980 to 1982.

Muhammad Yusuf Shaikh is an educationist. He served as general staff officer and instructor at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul, principal/project director Public School Sukkur, principal Public School Gadap Karachi, principal Sindh Madressatul Islam Karachi, principal Public School Hyderabad, founder Principal Cadet College Larkana for 23 years.

He also held the offices of chairman Larkana District Historical Society, a member of Pakistan Institute of International Affairs Karachi, a member Sindh Madressa Board, a member board of governors Cadet College for Girls Nawabshah, a member Iqbal Academy Award Committee, life time member of Pakistan Arts Council Karachi, life member Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers and life member Sindh Red Crescent Society.

Roshan Khusheed Bharucha has served as senator during the Musharraf’s tenure. She done her MA in English from the University of Balochistan in 1977 and got the degree of finance and accounting for Non-Financial Executives from PIMS Karachi in 1993.

According to the PMO statement, she has also served as a provincial minister. She reorganised rehabilitation centres for special children under the social welfare department. Rehabilitation of children affected by the Afghan war was also done by her team by providing physiotherapy and replacement of artificial limbs.

Azam Khan remained SCP/DMG group officer of grade 22. He has served as minister for finance, planning & development department, Government of KP, Peshawar from Oct 24 2007 to April 1, 2008.

He also worked as an adviser to Lachi Poverty Reduction Project (LPRP) of UNDP.

He remained chairman of Pakistan Tobacco Board, Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan, Peshawar, from March 1994 to Nov 1996.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2018