Islamabad, 29 April 2024 (TDI): The Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan on Sunday announced that Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has designated Senator Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, as the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan.
It is to be noted that the appointment comes at the time when Prime Minister accompanied by Foreign Minister Dar and delegation is in Saudi Arabia to participate in the special meeting of the World Economic Forum on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy.
Ishaq Dar, aged 73, is a chartared accountant by profession who was first appointed as the Chairman for Pakistan Board of Investment. He later became the President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, after Nawaz government was dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq.
Ishaq Dar, who is the usual choice of PMLN as the finance minister of Pakistan was denied the finance ministry portfolio in the recent cabinet. In fact, it was decided that Ishaq Dar would retain involvement in Pakistan’s economic affairs but in a different capacity.
Moreover, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was made the head of a special Cabinet Committee on Privatization, a position which is usually led by the finance minister.
The functions of the privatization committee include the reviewing and monitoring of the progress of privatization and to take policy decisions on matters pertaining to privatization, restructuring, deregulation, regulatory bodies and Privatization Fund Account.
It also functions to formulate the Privatization Policy for approval of the Government, approving the State-Owned Enterprises to be privatized on the recommendation of the Privatization Commission.
Subsequently, some functions of the privatization committee overlap with the functions of the Cabinet Committee of State Owned Enterprises, which is chaired by the finance minister.
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Although the post of deputy Prime Minister is symbolic in nature and the constitution does not provide for the position, Ishaq Dar is the fourth individual to hold the office.
Prior to Dar, Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi in 2012 was appointed for the office as result of an understanding between the Pakistan People’s Party and PML-Q.
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