Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar appointed as a Deputy Prime Minister (PM): Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister on Sunday, as per a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.
This appointment coincides with PM Shehbaz and Dar’s participation, along with other ministers, in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy in Saudi Arabia.
The notification states that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made the appointment “with immediate effect and until further orders”.
Before Dar, the last Deputy Prime Minister of the country was Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, then of PML-Q, who held the position from June 2012.
Dar has held various significant roles in the government, including federal minister for commerce and investment in Nawaz Sharif’s 1997-99 government, and twice as federal minister for finance, economic affairs, revenue, and statistics (1998-99 and 2008).
In addition to his ministerial positions, Dar also served as president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Despite his extensive experience, Dar’s appointment as Deputy Prime Minister comes as a surprise, especially after being appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs earlier this year.
Dar’s policies and decisions, however, have faced criticism from various quarters. PPP leader Khurshid Shah, in an interview with DawnNewsTV, expressed opposition to Dar’s appointment as finance minister, stating that Dar was responsible for damaging the economy.
PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi, on the other hand, stated that his party had no objections to Dar’s appointment as Deputy Prime Minister, emphasizing that it was the Prime Minister’s prerogative to make such appointments.