Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Haji Ghaulam Ali on Friday appointed four new member of to province’s caretaker cabinet.
To this, effect a notification was issued from the Governor House which has increased the number of advisors in the provincial cabinet to five.
The notification said that Syed Jarrar Hussain Bukhari has been made the advisor for population welfare while Zafar Mahmood tourism and culture ministry, Rehmat Salam Khattak elementary and secondary education department and Dr Abid Jamil has been entrusted with health department.
Caretaker chief minister Muhammad Azam Khan will retain the charge of information and home department.
Also in the day, the administration department de-notified Khushdil Khan Malik as caretaker minister. Khushdil was appointed caretaker minister earlier last month; however, later it emerged that he was serving civil servant at the time of his elevation as caretaker minister. Khushdil was serving as principal at Federal Government High School in Mangla cantonment. Ministry of Defence in a letter to the KP government had stated that a serving civil servant could not engage any other business while he was serving in the government officer under the provisions of constitution and rules.
He attained the age of superannuation on February 14. Earlier on Thursday, Khusdil Khan Malik had also approached the Peshawar High Court to challenge government’s decision to remove him from the provincial cabinet.
Earlier this week, caretaker chief minister had appointed Himayatullah Khan as advisor for fiancé and energy and power department.
Constitutionally, chief minister is empowered to appoint five advisors. On the other hand, strength of the provincial cabinet could be 16 members.
KP caretaker chief minister had earlier last month appointed 15 ministers; however, after the de-notification of Khushdil Khan Malik, the number of provincial cabinet had dropped to 14, leaving a space for another minister in the cabinet.
