Adil Najam
Pakistan’s Federal Cabinet – which, according to the official website of the government of Pakistan has 54 Ministers at the time of writing this post – is going to be ‘right-sized.’ If you were asked to assist the Prime Minister in choosing his new cabinet (including retaining or not existing Ministers and positions), who would you ask him to include?
Reportedly, and according to statements from the government’s two key spokespeople – Minister of Information Qamar Zaman Kaira and Minister of Law Babar Awan – this could include (a) reducing the number of actual ministries and Ministers, (b) inducting some new people, or (c) removing, replacing or reassigning existing Ministers. There are particular dynamics of Pakistan politics that have led to this decision, but cabinet changes are a regular and even expected feature of most governments and course correction is always wise, as much in our national affairs as in our personal life.
So, what is your advise for the Prime Minister as he devises a new cabinet? Who should remain? Who might be brought in? How might the portfolios themselves be reorganized beyond what is already mandated by recent constitutional changes?
Looking for a list outlining the composition of the current cabinet, I found this list of Ministers on the official website of the government of Pakistan. A little confused because at least some of the names here have reportedly left their Ministerial posts; but maybe the notifications have not yet gone through or the website has not been updated. But, this list is really the right one to base this discussion on since this is the cabinet that is being ‘right-sized.’
P.S. OK, here is the customary invocation that many readers will summarily dismiss. But let us request seriously because it is a serious request: Cynicism is easy, it can also be a retreat from reason and a deflection from thinking hard about hard problems, and usually it is not funny (there are exceptions, but they are very infrequent… There really are very few Oscar Wilde’s around). So, please spare us the wisecracks and cynicism. If we want serious politics in this country, we need to get serious about politics ourselves.
The decision,regarding rightsizing has rightly been taken.
We are already facing a poorest economy,
on the other hand, the decision is taken it will bring political stability,other wise friendly opposition has already declared a 10 point agenda titled charter of demand through which a clear cut message has been conveyed will have compelled to call for fresh election.
What do we all expect from this rotten lot of politicians ?,,,,they are all just the same, dirty gimmicks ,nothing else,,,,,,,,,,,shamelessly playing with the destiny of the country,doing nothing constructive ,just throwing dust in the eyes of public and plundering with both hands, this the grand show of mega movie “JUMHURIAT KA HUSSAN”, with all top class cast are in for the final show.
Pray for the country and its screeming teeming 180 million–60% of them now live below poverty line
First merge the ministries, then worry about who gets what position. The following list is my suggestion. Any ministry I say is merged, I mean the responsibility is merged…the ministry that had its reponsibilities removed is permanently abolished.
– Commerce (with Privitization and Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics, and P&D ministries merged to it)
– Communications (with IT and Information ministries merged into it)
– Science and Technology
– Culture (with Sports and Tourism merged into it or the entire ministry standing as abolished and responsibilities devolved to the provinces)
– Defence (with Defence Production merged to it)
– Environment
– Education (with Special Education merged to it)
– Foreign Affairs (with Overseas Pakistanis merged to it)
– Food and Agriculture (with Livestock and Dairy development merged)
– Health (with Population Welfare merged into it)
– Interior (with Narcotics control merged into it)
– States and Frontier Regions (with Local Government and Rural Development as well as Inter-Provincial Communication merged to it)
– Kashmir Affairs (due to the special nature of Kashmir, it should not be amalgamated with any other ministry of Pakistan
– Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs
– Social Welfare (with Minorities and Youth Affairs merged into it and Special Education merged to the Education Ministry)
– Postal Services
– Religious Affairs (with Zakat and Ushr merged into it)
– Industries and Production (with Textiles and Labor and Manpower merged into it)
– Special Initiatives (though it depends on what they do…if it is redundant, it should stand dissolved and its responsibilities transferred to the appropriate ministry or ministries)
– Water and Power
All together, that is twenty federal ministries, down from thirty-nine. The following are federal ministries that were not merged, but dissolved and its responsibilities split among several ministries at once:
– Housing and Works should stand dissolved and its responsibilities devolved to the provinces and other federal units.
– Human Rights Ministry should stand dissolved and have its responsibilities split between Education, Health, and Interior Ministries, depending on the situation. Eduation takes care of making people know and understand their rights, health takes care of the rights of well-being and Interior takes care of rights against the likes of hate groups and other criminals.
– Petroleum and Natural resources should stand dissolved and have its responsibilities split by Industry, Commerce, and the rest devolved to the provinces.
As for state ministries, they should stand dissolved as independant ministries from their respective federal counterparts and those who are state ministers should stand as deputy ministers in the federal cabinet instead.
bring in Dr Ata ur Rahman from ministry of education, IT, Science.
fire ready-to-fight Babar Awan. bring in Aitzaz.
like education, IT, Science ministries, others can also be merged into one. like textile, commerce. or at least don’t make separate ministries like environment, youth affairs, parliamentry affairs, tourism, etc just for luxury and nepotism sake.
A Ministry screaming out t o be dismanteled is Information. Its really the ministry of propaganda and there is no need for it. Have a spokesperson and let it be. Same with Ministry of law.What is the point of that? Have a strong Attorney General and let it be.