Foreign ministry on cards for Ishaq Dar

By
Asif Bashir Chaudhary

March 08, 2024

Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif exchanging views with Jalil Abbas Jilani, Former Caretaker Minister for Foreign Affairs during meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday, March 7, 2024. — PPI
Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif exchanging views with Jalil Abbas Jilani, Former Caretaker Minister for Foreign Affairs during meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday, March 7, 2024. — PPI
  • Dar earlier served in federal government as finance minister.
  • Jalil Abbas Jilani to serve as PM's adviser on foreign affairs.
  • Tariq Fatemi likely to be special assistant on foreign affairs.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Ministry is on the cards for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar, who has earlier held the portfolio of finance minister with his party at the helm of the past federal governments, The News reported citing Geo News.

According to sources, Dar will be handed over Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. However, caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani is set to serve as an adviser to the premier on foreign affairs, while Tariq Fatemi will be appointed as special assistant on foreign affairs.

Dar, as per the sources, was also present during a meeting on Thursday between PM Shehbaz and former caretaker foreign minister and foreign secretary.

Jilani, during the meeting, provided a detailed briefing to the premier regarding developments in various foreign affairs while the caretaker set-up was managing the government in the Centre.

This will be the first time that Dar will serve as the country's foreign minister. As one of PML-N's veteran politicians, has earlier only served as finance minister during his party's government in the past. His return to the coveted role came after his arrival to Pakistan after five years of self-imposed exile in September 2022.

Earlier this week, sources told The News that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had agreed to the appointment of Dar as the country's finance minister.

The development came in the backdrop of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto's tirade, during the party's election campaign in the run-up to the February 8 polls, wherein he had time and again criticised Dar for mismanaging the economy during the PML-N-led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

In January, while speaking on Geo News' programme "Naya Pakistan", Bilawal said that his party would see "anyone but Dar" taking charge as the country's finance czar in light of the prevailing economic crises.