In a surprising move, the Finance Minister of Pakistan finds himself cut from two major financial decision-making committees, while paving the way for a much bigger role in financial matters for Ishaq Dar, Express Tribune has reported.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reshuffled four cabinet committees. As a result, Finance Minister Aurangzeb now heads only one committee instead of three.
PM Shehbaz kept the chairmanship of the very important Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet instead of giving the Finance Minister the portfolio.
Meanwhile, the PM has given Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar the chairmanship of Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP) – a post normally headed by the Finance Minister of the country.
Tribune reported that there was some apprehension within the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) regarding the appointment of Aurangzeb as the Finance Minister and it was decided within the party leadership that Dar would stay in charge of economic affairs but in a different capacity.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb now chairs only the Cabinet Committee on State-owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs).
