Ishaq Dar among PM Shehbaz’s 19-member cabinet; takes charge as Pakistan’s new Foreign Minister

Senior Pakistani Politician and economist, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday took charge as Pakistan's new foreign minister as the cash-strapped country continues to grapple from ongoing issues on domestic and external fronts.

The newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday, inducted 19 members into his Cabinet, after over a month of elections that resulted in a hung Parliament and days of political uncertainty.

Dar is an ethnic Kashmiri and chartered accountant by training, and is a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslin League-Nawaz (PML-N). He is also a confidant of the party head and former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif.

"Mr Muhammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 has formally assumed the role of Pakistan’s 39th Minister for Foreign Affairs," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.

The 73-year-old leader, who doesn't have much experience in foreign affairs, has been given an important job given the declining relationship of Pakistan with India and Afghanistan.

India and Pakistan stopped trading with each other and reduced the number of diplomats in each other's countries in August 2019 after India changed the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two parts.

Meanwhile, PML-N’s main ally, Bilawal Bhutto-led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have refused to be part of the cabinet. 
Pakistan;s information ministry revealed the portfolios other key ministers which included, Khawaja Muhammad Asif as minister for defence, defence production and aviation, Ahsan Iqbal as minister for planning, development and special initiatives, Azam Nazeer Tarar law and justice, human rights, Attaullah Tarar as minister of information and broadcasting, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh as minister for maritime affairs and Muhammad Aurangzeb as minister of finance, revenue.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the only woman minister, was appointed as minister of state.

(with PTI inputs)