SWAT: Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk on Sunday reiterated that holding of general elections on the scheduled date was a top priority of the interim administration.
Speaking with journalists during a visit to his native town, he assured that the elections will be held on July 25 and that efforts are underway to ensure free, fair and transparent polls.
Justice Mulk expressed his resolve to use the powers vested in his office as per the country’s Constitution to serve the people.
He said being a resident of the area he was well aware of the problems faced by the people of the region and would try his best to resolve the issues.
When the caretaker PM reached Swat on Sunday, he was received by the district nazim, Muhammad Ali Shah. Shortly after the PM’s helicopter landed in Mingora, he headed to the area graveyard to pay respect at his father’s grave.
Earlier on Friday, Mulk had indicated that he would go for a small-sized cabinet. “We will try to keep the size of the cabinet as compact as possible,” he said in an informal conversation with journalists after assuming charge. Mulk had assumed oath as the seventh caretaker PM in an official ceremony held at the Presidency, a day after the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government completed its five-year constitutional term.
After taking charge, Mulk issued first official order to reshuffle bureaucracy, including transferring Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad and having him posted as the director general of the Civil Services Academy in Lahore. Cabinet Division Secretary Mirza Suhail Aamir was appointed the secretary to the PM in Fawad’s place.
Constitutionally, the caretaker government is bound to seek permission from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reshuffle government officials. However, the ECP has no role in the formation of caretaker cabinets.
Published in Daily Times, June 4th 2018.
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