President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday administered oath of federal minister to Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in a ceremony at the President House on Friday.
Shaikh previously held the post of an advisor to the prime minister on finance. The move comes in light of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision on inclusion of advisors and special assistants in cabinet committees.
Sources said Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to appoint Advisor to PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood and Special Assistant to PM on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan as federal ministers for six months as well.
Constitution allows unelected members to be appointed ministers.The prime minister is empowered to appoint an unelected individual as a minister for six months under Article 91(9) of the Constitution.
However, the Constitution states that at the end of six months, that individual will "cease to be a minister and shall not before the dissolution of that Assembly be again appointed a minister unless he is elected a member of that Assembly".
Sources said Shaikh, Dawood and Sultan will likely be given Senate tickets for the elections in March next year.
