By Muhammad Luqman
Parting with the tradition of his boss and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the newly installed Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has included a full time foreign minister in his cabinet. Khawaja Muhamamd Asif, a close aide of former Prime Minister has taken oath of this coveted office. He was federal minister for water and power in Nawaz Sharif cabinet.
During his 4-year tenure, Nawaz Sharif had kept this portfolio with him. Instead, he preferred to appoint Sartaj Aziz as advisor on Foreign Affairs and Tariq Fatemi as Special Assistant to run the foreign affairs of the South Asian nuclear armed nation. For such a stop gap arrangements , Nawaz Sharif was always criticized by the opposition parties especially Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf.
Nawaz Sharif was not the first head of the government to resort to such an act.Even At the very onset of Pakistan’s history, first Prime Minister, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan held the office of the foreign minister too, though for a brief time. Governor General Muhammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon and Prime Minister Zulifkar Ali Bhutto were among the rulers who preferred to keep this important portfolio with them as additional responsibility.
