New cabinet constituted in Pakistan

[News_Editor]

New cabinet constituted in Pakistan

2011-02-11 21:59:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday sworn in a new, smaller cabinet after the government decision to cut down its size as part of the austerity drive, Geo News television reported.

Zardari administered oath to a 22-member Federal Cabinet and one state minister. The new cabinet is formed by 18 former ministers and 4 new ones. Hina Rabbani Khar was appointed as state minister.

On Wednesday, 62 ministers and deputy ministers resigned in the last meeting of the cabinet as opposition parties demanded a smaller cabinet to reduce expenditure. The cabinet formed by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was one of the largest in the world.

Following the massive resignation, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) authorized Gilani to appoint a new cabinet with fewer ministers that have integrity, competence and efficiency.

The Prime Minister constituted the new cabinet in consultation with leaders of different political parties and coalition partners as well as with the PPP ruling party.

Pakistan's struggling economy was battered by floods last year, causing $10 billion in damage. Foreign aid has been slow in coming, because of concern about the government's ability to push through financial reform.

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