Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has nearly finalized a reshuffle of the federal cabinet, with only the timing of the announcement remaining undecided, according to senior parliamentarians. A comprehensive two-year performance report of all ministers and state ministers is now on the PM's desk, serving as the basis for decisions on removals or portfolio changes.
Performance Evaluation Drives Decisions
The performance review covers ministers' conduct in their ministries, attendance records, implementation of cabinet decisions and memorandums of understanding (MoUs), and relations with the bureaucracy. While the prime minister has the discretion to change portfolios at any time without explanation, overall performance will be the primary factor behind any reshuffle or removal.
Parliamentary sources indicate that only four ministers or state ministers have been deemed satisfactory in their performance. The remaining cabinet members are likely to face reshuffles or removal in the coming weeks.
Coalition Dynamics Complicate Process
Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada acknowledged that reshuffle rumors persist throughout any government's tenure. “It is the discretion of the Prime Minister to change the portfolio or reshuffle in the cabinet any time, as no minister can challenge it,” Pirzada told this newspaper.
Coalition partners, particularly the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), are seeking to adjust some of their members in the federal cabinet, adding pressure on the prime minister. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a major coalition partner, continues to stay out of the cabinet despite repeated offers from the ruling PML-N. Political analysts suggest the PPP prefers to avoid public criticism due to the country's unsatisfactory economic situation. The PML-N leadership has decided to run government affairs without PPP members in the cabinet.
Ishaq Dar Controversy Adds Tension
The reshuffle discussion has been complicated by controversy surrounding Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Although Dar has distanced himself from a high-profile Lahore case involving the alleged abduction and sexual assault of two foreign women, rumors persist that his portfolio could be changed. The opposition, led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is demanding Dar's resignation over his family's alleged connection to the case.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram accused the Dar family of being linked to “a transnational crypto network that has suspectedly morphed from white collar financial crimes into violent organised crime, culminating in the horrific abduction, extortion, and gang rape of two foreign women.”
Timing and Political Considerations
Political and constitutional experts believe the prime minister will not act hastily. The decision on reshuffling or removing ministers will be made with the future political scenario in mind, balancing performance, coalition demands, and the ongoing controversy. The final announcement is expected once the PM determines the most opportune moment.
