PML-Q’s Chaudhry Salik appointed CPEC Authority chief
President Dr Arif Alvi administered oath to three federal ministers and one minister of state for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet at the Aiwan-i-Sadr on Friday, the first time the president led the ceremony involving members of the new government.
The president had previously “complained of discomfort” just a day before then prime minister-elect Shehbaz was to be sworn in as head of government. Shehbaz was then administered the oath of office by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
On Tuesday, 33 lawmakers were inducted in the new premier’s cabinet after they were sworn in by Sanjrani in the absence of the president, who had refused to administer the oath to the lawmakers.
In Friday’s oath-taking ceremony, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Chaudhry Salik Hussain — son of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain — Balochistan National Party-Mengal’s (BNP-M) Agha Hassan Baloch and PML-N’s Javed Latif were sworn in as ministers of federal cabinet and state.
After the three were sworn in a federal ministers, BNP-M’s Hashim Notezai was administered the oath of office and inducted into the cabinet as a minister of state.
PM Shehbaz was also present at the oath-taking ceremony, and was seated next to President Alvi.
The oath-taking had taken place just days after the president and the prime minister held their first meeting since Shehbaz became premier.
PM Shehbaz’s cabinet continued to expand amid reports of differences among allies in the new coalition government and even within the PML-N over the selection of members and distribution of portfolios among them.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday appointed PML-Q MNA Chaudhry Salik Hussain as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority chairman.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain has replaced Khalid Mansoor as CPEC authority chief. The appointment comes after PML-Q parliamentarian on Friday morning took as federal cabinet minister.
It is pertinent to mention here that Chaudhry Salik Hussain is the son of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, President of PMLQ, a former allied party of the Imran Khan government.
