The absence of a federal cabinet has led to a delay in crucial economic decision-making processes, with approval for significant summits pending. Despite being elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan a week ago, the formation of a federal cabinet is still pending, leading to a delay in approving crucial summaries.
Sources revealed that, after the establishment of the federal cabinet, critical economic decisions and approval of summaries will be made. Sources also revealed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed conditions on sending a team, tying it to the formation of the federal cabinet.
Once the federal cabinet is in place, the IMF will dispatch a team for negotiations with Pakistan regarding financial matters. A day before this development, PM Shehbaz Sharif consulted with his elder brother Nawaz Sharif and finalised names for the federal cabinet, with Ishaq Dar dropping out of the race to become finance minister, citing sources. Sources said that Ishaq Dar, a close Sharif family associate andfour-time finance minister, will be handed over the portfolio of foreign minister. However, the ruling party is yet to finalize its finance minister, the person who has to lead an immediate effort to negotiate a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.