Second Shehbaz Sharif Government

After the 2024 general elections in Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif's second government was formed. Shehbaz Sharif from the PMLN was elected as the Prime Minister. President Asif Ali Zardari took the oath of office. The new Cabinet composition has been described as a "Lean", with its composition being influenced by the need of the new government to respond quickly to the current economic crisis. The Cabinet includes PMLN, MQM-P, MQM-L, PML(Q) and IPP . Opposition parties have alleged that the election was rigged. The Shehbaz Sharif government has been described as an "Authoritarian Regime" by ''The Economist Democracy Index''.

Cabinet formation

On March 6 the Cabinet Division issued the de-notification of the caretaker cabinet. The next day PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar said that the federal cabinet would be finalized within the next 48 hours. Adding that HBL President Muhammad Aurangzeb would be considered for the financial portfolio, remarking “The most important portfolio is the finance ministry as the economy has to be revived and the matters with the IMF will have to be taken forward." Shehbaz Sharif would host a dinner together with leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) over Federal Cabinet finalization. PML-N would request for the PPP to join the cabinet, however Bilawal Bhutto would announce that it would support PML-N in government formation without joining cabinet, addressing PPP's CEC meeting “The PPP has decided that while we are not in a position to join the federal government ourselves, nor will we be interested in taking ministries in such a set-up, we also do not want to see political chaos in the country. We do not want to see perpetual crisis in the country,” he said. On March 9 Nawaz Sharif directed Shehbaz Sharif to implement the parties manifesto after the formation of the federal cabinet. Later Nawaz would direct the PM to keep the federal cabinet small in the initial phase. During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif would table the proposed names of the Federal Cabinet to the PML-N leader. Four-time finance minister and Sharif family associate Ishaq Dar would drop out the race for the position of Minister of Finance & Revenue. According to the Tribune, an anonymous PML-N leader claimed that the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as Interior Minister would "erode the government's credibility", according to another anonymous PML-N leader, Ishaq Dar was not chosen due to the PM's preference for a new Finance minister.

Prior to the inauguration of the Federal Cabinet, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reportedly tied cabinet formation as a pre-condition for the sending of an IMF team to Pakistan to negotiate and finalize another bailout from the Fund.

On March 11 President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to the PM's 19-member federal cabinet. The proposals for appointment was made under clause 1 of Article 92 (federal ministers and ministers of state) of the Constitution. On the same day Muhammad Aurangzeb, the new finance minister would renounce his Dutch nationality and be granted Pakistani nationality as well as resign from his position as CEO of Habib Bank Limited. The nineteen member cabinet includes many veteran politicians and newcomers. Mohsin Naqvi and Ahad Cheema, former caretaker ministers would be included amongst other PML-N stalwarts. The swearing-in ceremony was held in the President's House (Aiwan-i-Sadr). On March 12 the new Federal cabinet members assumed charge after allocation of their portfolios. The new cabinet was criticized for sidelining some members of the elected coalition, seen in the absence of Ishaq Dar in the financial portfolio and Rana Sanaullah as interior minister, traditional supporters of Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz Sharif's position as Prime Minister has also been seen as to maintain strong relations with the military and ensuring its influence in administration. The military's backing of the new cabinet composition has also been seen as a way to send a message against the political opposition that attempts to undermine the new government will be met with force and push through reforms, such as through the SIFC.

Composition of cabinet

Federal ministers

Ministers Of State

Adviser to the prime minister

Special assistant to the prime minister

Coordinator to the prime minister

Cabinet division and cabinet secretariat

The current Federal Secretary of the Cabinet is Kamran Ali Afzal, since his appointment in August 2023. On 20 March the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) and Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority were both placed under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division. The Cabinet Secretariat is directly under the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary, controlling the Aviation Division
Cabinet Division
Establishment Division, National Security Division and Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety Division.

Cabinet committees

On 21 March the cabinet division would issue two separate notifications constituting the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE), by the Prime Minister under terms of rule 17(2) of Rules of Business, 1973. Both would be retained directly under Shehbaz Sharif, becoming Chairman of both committees. On the same day Shehbaz would also approve the reconstitution of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP), with MoFA Ishaq Dar as Chairman with the secretarial support of the Committee provided by the Aviation Division; and the reconstitution of the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs), with Minister of Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb as Chairman. Additional Committees constituted on 21 March include the Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) under Azam Nazeer Tarar, the Cabinet Committee on Chinese Investment Projects (CCoCIP) under Ahsan Iqbal, and a committee to "speed up" the privatization of Pakistan International Airways (PIA) under Khawaja Asif. With forty-eight hours, on 23 March the Cabinet Division issued a notification, appointing Muhammad Aurangzeb as new Chairman of the ECC, with Shehbaz Sharif withdrawing from the committee Previously Aurangzeb held chairmanship of only the Cabinet Committee on SOEs (CCoSOEs), while Ishaq Dar also held a prominent role in the new cabinet committees as chairman of Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP). This was a departure from past practices, where finance ministers chaired three out of four committees. With Shahbaz Rana writing that the "PM had "clipped" the Finance Minister’s "decision-making wings" by depriving him of the ECC. The decision to place Aurangzeb as chairman also came after criticism from "all quarters." Pakistan newspaper Dawn, quoting a senior member of the cabinet officially stated that the PM had “regretted he would be unable to chair the ECC meetings due to his hectic schedule and engagements.” On 28 March the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT) would be constituted, chaired by Khawaja Asif, with Terms of Reference (ToR) that the committee may authorize, recommend approval, and constitute a negotiation committee for a G2G or commercial agreement with a foreign state, as well as approve price-discovery mechanisms, submit recommendations for existing regulatory compliance. Operating under the clauses (c) and (d) of sub-section (2) of Section (4) of the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act, 2022.

Reshuffles and non-cabinet appointments

Federal ministers

On March 18, Awais Leghari was relieved from his portfolio as Minister for Railways in favour for taking over the Ministry of Energy, formerly under Musadik Malik. On 29 March, Amir Muqam was relieved of his additional portfolio as Federal Minister o
National Heritage and Culture
instead taking over the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan portfolio.

On April 4 five portfolios were assigned to different federal ministers previously held by the prime minister, Aleem Khan was given the additional portfolio of communications, Chaudhry Salik Hussain was allocated Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Rana Tanveer Hussain allocated Food Security & Research, Ahsan Iqbal was allocated inter-provincial coordination and Musadik Malik was allocated water resources.

MNA Ali Pervaiz was appointed as a Minister of State with the allocated portfolios of Finance & Revenue, with an additional portfolio of the Power Division on 17 May.

Deputy prime minister

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan through a notification from the Cabinet Division, this after the post had remained vacant for the past eleven years. Arifa Noor speculated in ''Dawn'' this was the result of Nawaz Sharif planning to reassert himself due to Ishaq Dar's "proximity" with Nawaz.

Other federal posts

Federal advisers

Rana Sanaullah was appointed adviser to the prime minister on 30 April, approved by President Asif Ali Zardari. Speaking on a ''Geo News'' programme he confirmed that he had a meeting with the Prime Minister to include him the federal government. This was seen as a shift in party dynamics and the increasing influence of the Nawaz Sharif factions influence in the coalition government and coinciding with the appoint of another "trusted ally" of Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar as Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan. On 22 May Rana Sanaullah was given the Inter-provincial coordination portfolio.

Federal coordinators

On 28 March both Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath and Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan received appointments from circulars issued by the Cabinet Division. Mukhtar Ahmad appointed Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Rana Mashhood as Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Prime Minister's Youth Programme, both in an "honorary" capacity. The next day on the 29th, Rana Mashhood was appointed Chairman of the Youth Programme, also in an honorary capacity.

Later on 3 April Shehbaz Sharif appointed further coordinators Romina Khurshid Alam (Climate Change and Environmental coordination), Shabbir Ahmed Usmani (Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan) and Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan on 'general issues'. The government claimed that the coordinators would not be part of the Federal Cabinet and work on an honorary basis.

Constitutional institutions

Council of Common Interests

On 25 March 2024 Shehbaz Sharif reconstituted the eight-member Council of Common Interests (CCI) as chairman after a notification was issued. The Prime Minister inducted Khawaja Asif (Defense), Amir Muqam (SAFRON), and Ishaq Dar (Foreign Affairs) into the Council. The composition of the CCI marked the first time a foreign minister had been designated a member, replacing the membership of the finance minister. Abdullah Niazi an editor at ''Profit'' claimed that Muhammad Aurangzeb's role in the Cabinet was being undermined by Ishaq Dar, further remarking that the inclusion of Khwaja Asif and Engineer Amir Muqam might indicate Shehbaz Sharif's focus on giving party loyalists greater influence. According to Mushtaq Ghumman, finance ministers were not always included in the CCI however energy and planning ministers were. In the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government under Shehbaz Sharif the finance minister was not included in the CCI. Attaullah Tarar on March 29 would state that “nobody has been replaced or substituted," referencing the constitutional procedure of the CCI.

Summaries submitted by different ministries and provincial governments were returned for later resubmission following the re-constitution of the Council. CCI Secretary Omer Rasul stated that the summaries forwarded by ministries, divisions and provincial governments did not conform with the guidelines demarcated in Rules of Procedure of CCI (2010) and were ambiguous whether such cases fell within the purview of the CCI.

National Economic Council

On June 7, 2024 President Asif Ali Zardari reconstituted the National Economic Council (NEC) of Pakistan under clause (1) of Article 156 of the constitution of Pakistan. The NEC being chaired by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and includes the chief ministers of Sindh, KPK, Punjab and Balochistan, federal ministers, nominated provincial ministers and federal secretaries. On 10 June the NEC approved CPEC proposals and investment projects related to the then upcoming federal budget, and was submitted a five-year plan.

Allegations of corruption

The Pakistani leader of opposition, Omar Ayub and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have accused Shehbaz Sharif of corruption, and his formation of a government ministry as rigged and fraudulent. Imran Khan, Omar Ayub, and the PTI have accused Shehbaz’s first and second government of poor governance, corruption and fascism. His coming into power and second ministry is under allegations of rigging through faulty electoral process. A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesperson rejected the cabinet as fake and unconstitutional, claiming it to be based on a stolen mandate. Further claiming the inclusion of people like Mohsin Naqvi in the federal cabinet proved the unconstitutional role of the caretaker government and Election Commission.

Federal Minister Amir Muqam was accused of purchasing properties in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, and agricultural land in Swat, Shangla and Peshawar in 2019, with inquiries started against him in 2018. In 2023 he was absolved of corruption charges after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) closed its inquiry. Awais Leghari was accused of corruption in land dealings during his tenure as chairman of the South Punjab Forest Company in 2018, but was acquitted in 2023, with his lawyer claiming a lack of evidence. Leghari claimed he was being "victimized" through a fabricated case. In 2018 the National Accountability Bureau launched a probe against Riaz Hussain Pirzada on corruption charges. Pirzada claimed that the allegations were shocking to him and called them "much disappointing." No other inquiries or probes have been launched against Pirzada. In 2019 Ahad Cheema was indicted in a corruption reference for possessing assets beyond known means of income. In 2023 Ahad Cheema was acquitted by the Accountability Court from the Aashiana Iqbal reference case. Khawaja Asif would be arrested in 2020 for an assets beyond known sources of income and money laundering case. Later he was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC). On December 23, 2019 Ahsan Iqbal was arrested by NAB related to alleged corruption in Narowal Sports City (NSC) Project. In 2022 the Islamabad High Court (IHC) exonerated Ahsan Iqbal from his corruption charges, with the IHC chief justice claiming that the NAB case was an example of political engineering, amongst other claims of faulty evidence as well as arguing that Ahsan Iqbal had acted within his authority as Minister for Planning.

Rana Tanvir Hussain would be arrested on April 17, 2002 and fined Rs6.9 million for acquiring assets disproportionate to his legitimate income. The Punjab NAB produced 16 witnesses to support the charges, Rana Tanvir produced 26 witnesses in his defence. Following the probing of revenue transactions of Aleem Khan, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) lodged a FIR against him. Alleged charges included fraudulently occupying land, misappropriating state land, use of forged allotment letters in commercial real-estate transactions Aleem Khan he claimed that the allegations were politically motivated and 'frivolous'. On July 31, 2023 the NAB closed the inquiry against him under new amendments introduced to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999. On 6 February 2019 Aleem Khan was also arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in an asset beyond known sources of income case. On October 3, 2018 an Islamabad Court allowed the NAB to seize the bank accounts, seize properties and auction assets of Ishaq Dar, who fled the country following a corruption investigation launched against him. The previous year Dar was declared a fugitive after fleeing. On September 23, 2024 his arrest warrant was suspended. Following his the suspension of his arrest warrant, Ishaq Dar returned by Nur Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi after a five year exile. Dar was also sworn in as a Senator again on September 27. Imran Khan alleged he returned through an NRO and criticized his fourth appointment as Finance Minister. Two days following his Senatorial oath taking, an accountability court reversed its order, declaring Dar to no longer be a proclaimed offender. On November 22 the accountability court closed the proceedings on the reference and returned the case file to the National Accountability Bureau. In 2023 the assets-beyond-means reference case was revived, and an accountability court summoned him for October 10. Later in October 2023 cleared of all charges, NAB Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi stated the Bureau no longer wanted to pursue the case and claimed "there was no proof" of corruption. Shehbaz Sharif has been accused of money laundering, receiving backing from the military, granting them formal economic powers, running a "hybrid pro-max" regime, and his victory following a controversial election.

Notes

References

{{Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistani federal ministries
2024 establishments in Pakistan
Cabinets established in 2024
Ministry
Current governments in Asia
Cabinet Secretariat (Pakistan)