Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In what was the fourth cabinet shakeup in less than three years of his government, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday handed over the finance ministry to Hafeez Shaikh while interior ministry will now be administered by Sheikh Rashid.
According to Radio Pakistan report, Rashid has been replaced by Azam Swati as the railways minister. Retired Brigadier Ijaz Ahmed Shah, who earlier had the interior ministry with himself, has now been made minister for narcotics control.
The latest cabinet reshuffle by Imran Khan is being seen as a big blow to PTI government's privatisation efforts which were being headed by Hafeez Shaikh.
The change in the Pakistan cabinet came days after the Islamabad High Court ordered that 'unelected advisers and special assistants' could not head government’s committees, the Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan has appealed the opposition parties to postpone their protest rallies in view of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of 11 Opposition parties, is scheduled to hold a protest rally in Lahore on December 13.
"When people gather, the virus spreads. There is a timeline, approximately, a week or ten days after, you begin seeing patients at hospitals," the cricketer-turned-politician said in a televised address.
(With inputs from PTI)
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