ISLAMABAD – The federal government is planning another attempt to get permanent finance minister as it has reportedly decided to get Shaukat Tarin, who currently holds the portfolio, elected as senator.
Reports said that Tarin, who was installed as the finance minister on April 18 this year as unelected person, would be elected from Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – the provinces where ruling PTI has its stronghold.
On Friday, Shaukat Tarin presented the third budget of the PTI for fiscal year 2021-22 with total outlay of Rs8,487 billion.
Under Article 91 of the Constitution, the government can include an unelected person in its cabinet as federal minister but he/she will not be able to retain the position more than six months unless he/she is elected as Senator or MNA.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had picked Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as unelected persons and tried to get it elected from Senate but unfortunately he lost the seat to PDM-backed candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani.
Following the Senate election defeat, the government removed him as the finance minister as his six-month tenure was to complete on June 9 this year.
