KP govt forms largest cabinet in province’s history
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has blessed almost all Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) belonging to the ruling alliance with special responsibilities by appointing them ministers, advisers and special assistants to the chief minister and now parliamentary secretaries.
In the latest move, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak appointed two more special assistants and 32 parliamentary secretaries, thus establishing the largest-ever provincial cabinet in the parliamentary history of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
The six-party alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) had formed a 12-member cabinet in the beginning after securing victory in the 2002 general election. However, the cabinet was later expanded and the number rose to 18. The Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party coalition government had a 25-member cabinet after the 2008 general election in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI-led government has now 27 members, including the chief minister and two senior ministers in its cabinet.
In the past, Aftab Sherpao had formed the largest cabinet after Pir Sabir Shah’s government was removed as a result of no-trust move in 1993. MPA Sardar Soran Singh of PTI and Abdul Kareem of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) are new special assistants to the chief ministers. Their status would be equal to provincial ministers.
Among the 32 parliamentary secretaries, 11 are women. Their main responsibility would be to answer any query about the ministries concerned in the provincial assembly in the absence of ministers.
However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Israrullah Gandapur clarified that the perks and privileges of the parliamentary secretaries would not be equal to the provincial ministers. “The chief minister has appointed the parliamentary secretaries through executive order, which is his constitutional right,” he contended.
Under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the number of cabinet members is required to be equal to 11 percent of the total strength of provincial assembly. In case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the cabinet should not exceed 15, including the chief minister.
In the 124-member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the coalition partners including the PTI, QWP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan have 80 members. Now 61 of them are working as chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants and 32 parliamentary secretaries. The rest have been appointed as chairmen of the district development advisory committees in the 25 districts of the province.
Criticising the expansion of cabinet, former provincial minister and parliamentary party leader of ANP Sardar Hussain Babak told The News that the chief minister has overstepped his authority by expanding the cabinet. He argued that it would put extra burden on the exchequer.
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has blessed almost all Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) belonging to the ruling alliance with special responsibilities by appointing them ministers, advisers and special assistants to the chief minister and now parliamentary secretaries.
In the latest move, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak appointed two more special assistants and 32 parliamentary secretaries, thus establishing the largest-ever provincial cabinet in the parliamentary history of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
The six-party alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) had formed a 12-member cabinet in the beginning after securing victory in the 2002 general election. However, the cabinet was later expanded and the number rose to 18. The Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party coalition government had a 25-member cabinet after the 2008 general election in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI-led government has now 27 members, including the chief minister and two senior ministers in its cabinet.
In the past, Aftab Sherpao had formed the largest cabinet after Pir Sabir Shah’s government was removed as a result of no-trust move in 1993. MPA Sardar Soran Singh of PTI and Abdul Kareem of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) are new special assistants to the chief ministers. Their status would be equal to provincial ministers.
Among the 32 parliamentary secretaries, 11 are women. Their main responsibility would be to answer any query about the ministries concerned in the provincial assembly in the absence of ministers.
However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Israrullah Gandapur clarified that the perks and privileges of the parliamentary secretaries would not be equal to the provincial ministers. “The chief minister has appointed the parliamentary secretaries through executive order, which is his constitutional right,” he contended.
Under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the number of cabinet members is required to be equal to 11 percent of the total strength of provincial assembly. In case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the cabinet should not exceed 15, including the chief minister.
In the 124-member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the coalition partners including the PTI, QWP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan have 80 members. Now 61 of them are working as chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants and 32 parliamentary secretaries. The rest have been appointed as chairmen of the district development advisory committees in the 25 districts of the province.
Criticising the expansion of cabinet, former provincial minister and parliamentary party leader of ANP Sardar Hussain Babak told The News that the chief minister has overstepped his authority by expanding the cabinet. He argued that it would put extra burden on the exchequer.