Imran takes charge, Oppn gives it a miss

Fasihur Rehman Khan

Islamabad, August 18

Imran Khan took oath as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan at a simple ceremony  here on Saturday, marking the dawn of a new era in Pakistan politics after years of rule by the Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N and the PPP.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office. In attendance were politicians, bureaucrats, military generals, the 1992 World Cricket cup-winning team that Imran had led, Indian cricket star and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, singers and artistes. None from the Opposition turned up even though invitations were extended to PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto. 

 There were some lighter moments during the oath-taking cermony as Imran Khan struggled to pronounce certain words in Urdu. He smiled sheepishly and apologised. The guests were only served refreshments, a lavish six-dish meal having been cancelled at the request of the incoming PM. Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Maneka caught everyone's attention as she arrived in a white dress that covered her from head to toe. Imran Khan was in a black sherwani. After the ceremony, he went to the PM House where he was given a guard of honour. He and and wife have opted not to live in the posh PM House. Instead, they have chosen a relatively small house in an adjacent colony where officials reside. 

The new PM is expected to spell out his agenda during his address to the nation on Monday. The PTI has announced a 20-member Cabinet with 15 ministers and five advisers, who are likely to take oath on Monday. While Foreign Affairs goes to PTI's second-in-command Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervaiz Khattak will be Defence Minister. Asad Umar gets Finance and Sheikh Rashid Railways. Two technocrats Razzaq Dawood (commerce) and Dr Ishrat Hussain (institutional reforms) are among the five advisers. The party has announced to field legislator Arif Alvi as President. The incumbent President completes his term on September 8.    

Foreign Minister during 26/11 is back

New Delhi: It was late in the evening of November 26, 2008, when then Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi finished addressing the media after a long day of talks. Within hours, the state of ties would change. As bloodshed played out in Mumbai for three days, Qureshi chose to keep his date with journalists. While at the Indian Women’s Press Corps, he received an angry phone call from the Indian President. Soon after, he and his delegation flew back. Qureshi is back as Foreign Minister of ‘Naya Pakistan’ under captain Imran Khan. Considered a hawk on Kashmir, he has a legacy of failed talks and a disastrous press conference with SM Krishna when the Foreign Minister visited Islamabad in 2010.  Amid speculation that another hawk Shireen Mazari could become Defence Minister, the portfolio has been handed over to Pervez Khattak, an ex- CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mazari will be Human Rights Minister. — Smita Sharma